MEMOEIAL 


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Key.  THOMAS  H.  STOCKTON. 


FROM   THE  LIBRARY   OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/lifecharaOOwils 


/; 


LIFE,  CHARACTER,  ASD  DEATH  '« 

[C    1    1931  ' 


^ 


o 


REV.  THOMAS  H.  STOOKTOn 


THE  FUNERAL  ADDRESS  DELIVERED  OCT.  Hlk,  1868, 


THE  MEMORIAL  DISCOURSE  DELIVERED  NOV,  221,  1868, 


CHURCH   OF    THE    NEW   TESTAMENT, 

Corner  of  Eleventh  and  Wood  Streets. 


EY   JOHN  C.  WILSON, 

HIXI8TEB     0 f     IHZ     WORD     OF     GOD. 


He  was  a  burning  an!  a  shining  light,  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  season 
to  rej  dee  in  hU  light. — John  v.  35. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
C  L  A  X  T  0  X.    B  EMSBN'a    HAFFELFINGER, 

S19  and  821  Market   Street, 


This  Memorial,  in  its  brief  survey  of  the  career  of 
Mr.  Stockton,  is  not  intended  to  supersede  his  Me- 
moir, largely  composed  of  his  diary  and  letters,  which, 
it  is  to  be  presumed,  will,  in  due  time,  be  published ; 
but  only  to  precede  and  awaken  a  more  intense  desire 
for  it,  as  that  will  open  to  us,  chiefly  in  his  own  lan- 
guage, a  view  of  his  interior  life  in  connection  with  its 
external  manifestations. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

J.    G.    WILSON, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


FUNERAL  ADDRESS. 

Man,  born  of  woman,  is  of  few  days,  and  full 
of  trouble.  He  cometh  forth  as  a  flower,  and 
is  cut  down,  He  fleeth,  also,  as  a  shadow,  and 
continueth  not.  Whatever  is  frail  and  perish- 
able in  its  nature,  whatever  is  transient  in  its 
duration,  is  an  emblem  of  man,  who  at  his  best 
estate  is  altogether  vanity.  For  what  is  your 
life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapor  which  appeareth  for  a 
little  time  and  then  vanisheth  away.  For  we 
must  needs  die,  and  are  as  water  spilt  upon  the 
ground,  which  cannot  be  gathered  up  again  ;  and 
God  is  no  respecter  of  persons ;  all  must  die, 
whatever  may  be  their  rank  and  condition  in 
life  ;  the  high  and  the  low,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  the  young  and  the  old,  the  saint  and  the 
sinner  find  a  common  level  in  the  grave.  For 
by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  by  sin,  and  so  death  passed  upon  all 
men,  for  that  one  man's  sin  was  imputed  to  them 
all.  And  when  God  said,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and 
unto    dust    shalt    thou    return/'    the    sentence 


4  FUNERAL    ADDRESS. 

passed  upon  you  and  me,  and  on  all  mankind. 
Neither  can  any  man  redeem  his  brother,  or 
give  to  God  a  ransom  for  him  that  he  should 
not  die.  But  God,  who  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons, in  visiting  upon  all  men  the  penalty  of 
Adam's  sin,  is  no  respecter  of  persons  in  the 
provision  he  hath  made  for  the  recovery  of  all 
men  from  that  penalty.  And  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  the  Redeemer 
of  the  world,  and,  as  the  second  Adam,  by  his 
obedience  in  that  relation,  he  hath  procured  life 
for  all.  For  as  by  the  offence  of  Adam  the 
many  were  made  sinners,  and  the  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation ;  so  b}^  the 
obedience  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  many  are  made 
righteous,  and  the  free  gift  hath  come  upon  all 
men  unto  justification  of  life.  And  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive.  Since  Adam  sinned,  there  may  have  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  millions  of  mankind 
fallen  under  the  penalty  of  death,  and  thou- 
sands more  are  daily  going  down  to  the  grave. 
But  this  course  of  things  shall  not  continue 
forever.  An  era  of  life  is  coming,  when  He 
who  invaded  the  realm  of  death  and  hell,  and 
took  the  keys  thereof,  shall  unlock  their  portals  ; 
and  it  biiail  co^iie  t^  pci^o  tluit  all  that  are  in 
those  gloomy  caverns  shall  hear  his  voice  and 
shall  come  forth.     For  Jesus  said  :  "  The  hour 


FUNERAL    ADDRESS.  5 

coraeth  when  all  that  are  in  their  graves 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  live." 
Hence  we  have  hope  towards  God  that  there 
shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the 
just  and  the  unjust.  As  no  man  dies  for  his 
own  sin,  but  all  die  because  Adam  sinned  ;  so 
no  man  shall  be  raised  again  for  his  own  right- 
eousness, but  all  shall  be  raised  again  because 
Christ  obeyed  the  law,  and  made  it  honorable. 
In  this  connection  we  ail  have  sin  in  Adam  and 
righteousness  in  Christ  ;  condemnation  in 
Adam  and  justification  in  Christ  ;  death  in 
Adam  and  life  in  Christ. 

But  will  there  be  no  distinction  in  the  resur- 
rection between  the  just  and  the  unjust  ?■  Yes, 
verily ;  for  every  man  shall  be  made  alive  again 
in  his  own  order — in  the  order  which  will  be  de- 
termined by  his  own  conduct — which  will  be  ap- 
propriate to  his  own  character.  The  order  will 
have  respect  to  both  time  and  condition.  In 
regard  to  time,  the  dead  in  Christ — the  saints 
— believers  in  Jesus — shall  rise  first.  For 
this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
that  we  which  are  alive,  and  remain  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent  them 
which  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord  himself  shall 
descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the 
voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first. 


6  FUNERAL    ADDRESS. 

And  this  order  of  time  shall  not  be  merely  for 
a  few  seconds,  or  a  few  hours,  but  it  will  be  for 
more  than  a  thousand  years  ;  for  John  says, 
"  The  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  till  the 
thousand  }'ears  were  finished."  As  it  regards 
condition  ;  the  first  resurrection  is  styled  the 
resurrection  of  life :  that  is,  eternal  life,  a 
phrase  which  indicates  the  peculiar  reward  of 
all  true  believers,"  whose  faith,  working  by  love, 
tends  to  purity  of  heart :  for  Jesus  said,  "  This 
is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one 
that  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  shall 
have  eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  again 
at  the  last  day."  There  are  different  conditions 
of  life,  as  there  are  different  kinds  of  bodies; 
but  it  is  onty  necessary  to  mention  two  in  this 
connection.  There  is  a  natural  life  and  a 
spiritual  life  ;  and  a  natural  body  and  a  spirit- 
ual body  ;  belonging  to  an  earthly  condition 
and  a  heavenly  condition :  and  which  are  illus- 
trated in  the  first  man,  Adam,  who  was  of  the 
earth,  earthy,  and  the  second  man,  Christ,  who 
is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  The  first  was  made  a 
living  soul,  the  second  was  made  a  quickening 
spirit.  The  natural  life  might  have  been  perpetu- 
ated for  ever  by  the  means  divinely  provided 
for  the  sustenance  and  healthfulness  of  the  natu- 
ral body ;  and  had  Adam  not  sinned,  those  means 
would  have  been  continually  acceessible ;  but 


FUNERAL    ADDRESS.  7 

having  transgressed,  he,  and  all  his  posterity 
with  him,  were  excluded  from  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  lest  he  should  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  and 
so  live  for  ever.  But  the  perpetuation  of 
natural  life,  by  suitable  means,  is  not  eternal 
life.  By  the  obedience  of  the  second  Adam, 
the  free  gift  cometh  on  all  men  unto  justifica- 
tion of  life,  that  is,  the  life  forfeited  by  the  dis- 
obedience of  the  first  Adam,  the  natural  life  in 
natural  bodies.  And  there  will,  doubtless,  be 
appropriate  means,  divinely  appointed,  for  the 
perpetuation  of  that  life  forever,  under  the 
future  administration  of  the  second  Adam. 
But  eternal  life  is  a  special  gift,  flowing,  not 
from  Christ's  obedience  as  the  second  Adam, 
but  from  his  sacrificial  offering  as  our  Great 
High  Priest,  in  making  atonement  for  our  per- 
sonal transgressions;  and  it  is  given  only  to 
them  that  believe.  For  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only -begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever belie  veth  on  him  might  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life.  John  iii.  16.  And  this  is 
the  record  that  God  hath  given  us  (believers) 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.  1  John 
v.  11.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life  (eternal 
life).  He  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath 
not  life  (eternal  life).  The  eternal  life,  which  is 
the  condition  promised  to  believers,  is  the  spe- 
cialty of  the  first  resurrection,  when  the  bodies 


8  FUNERAL    ADDRESS. 

of  all  the  saints  will  be  changed,  that  they 
may  be  fashioned  like  unto  Christ's  glorious 
body,  and  made  incorruptible,  immortal,  and 
spiritual. 

And  that  condition  will  be  a  glorious  one. 
John  sa}Ts,  "  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be,  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear 
we  shall  be  like  him  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he 
is.'7  And  Paul  says,  "  When  Christ  who  is  our 
life  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with 
him  in  glory."  "  And  if  (we  be)  children,  then 
heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ: 
if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  be 
also  glorified  together."  And  Jesus  says, 
"  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast 
given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am  :  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me." 
"  And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  J  have 
given  them  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we 
are  one."  Hence  it  is  written;  "Blessed  and 
holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion ;  on  such  the  second  death  bath  no  power; 
but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ 
and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  }rears." 
Again,  "And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying, 
Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open 
the  seals  thereof;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every 
kindred  and  tongue  and  people  and  nation;  and 


FUNERAL    ADDRESS.  9 

hast  made  ns  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests; 
and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 

0  what  an  exalted  state  !  0  what  a  glorious 
condition !  0  what  a  blessed  company !  The 
church  of  God  in  its  completeness  and  per- 
fection, embracing  the  called  and  chosen  and 
faithful  of  every  age  and  of  every  clime,  who 
have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb :  embracing  all  who 
"having  obtained  a  good  report  through  faith, 
received  not  the  promise."  Their  bodies  now 
sleep  in  the  dust,  their  spirits  now  rest  in  God; 
who  has  provided  some  better  thing  for  us,  that 
they  without  us  should  not  be  made  perfect. 
"But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant, 
brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep, 
that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have 
no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died, 
and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep 
in  Jesus,  will  God  bring  with  him.  And  with 
these  precious  words  of  truth — these  doctrines 
of  inspiration  I  would  comfort  your  hearts 
under  the  bereavement  which  has  brought  us 
together  to-day. 

We  stand  here  in  the  face  of  death.  There 
lie  the  remains  of  our  departed  brother  Thomas 
Hewlixgs  Stockton.  We  have  known  him 
long  and  intimately.  We  have  loved  him  as 
long  and  fervently.     His  life — his  natural  life — 


10  FUNERAL    ADDRESS. 

was  beleagured  by  death  from  his  childhood  up. 
Disease  had  early  invaded  his  body,  and  we 
little  thought  that  the  pale,  slender,  delicate 
young  man  of  forty  years  ago,  save  one,  would 
have  so  long  maintained  the  struggle  against 
the  king  of  terrors.  But  God  had  a  work  for 
him  to  do,  and  he  strung  that  attenuated  body 
with  sinewy  muscles,  and  so  balanced  the  power  ' 
of  endurance  with  the  susceptibility  of  pain  and 
weakness  that  his  years  have  been  lengthened 
out  to  threescore.  Yet  have  they  been  years 
of  physical  suffering — patiently  and  joyfully 
endured  in  submission  to  the  will  of  Him  who 
never  causes  us  a  needless  pang.  That  afflic- 
tion was  blest  to  him  in  his  youth,  we  gather 
from  his  first  published  article  written  in  his 
sixteenth  year : 

"When  floods  of  sorrow  o'er  my  spirits  roll, 
When  storms  of  passion  rage  within  my  soul, 
Where  shall  I  find  for  these  the  joy  of  grief? 
Where  seek,  for  those,  a  curb  of  calm  relief? 
1  A  small,  still  voice  '  speaks  softly  in  my  breast  : 
Rise  ;  follow  Me,  sad  soul !  and  gain  eternal  rest. 
Thus  whispers  Piety,  to  whom  is  given 
Immortal  joy — a  foretaste  e'en  of  heaven. 
Attend  her  call,  my  soul !   from  error  cease  ; 
Walk  in  her  paths  :   for  '  all  her  paths  are  peace.' 
Then  let  grief  come,  let  sorrow  rend  my  frame, 
I'll  humbly  kiss  the  rod,  and  bless  Jehovah's  name." 

From   another   of    his   poems   entitled    "A 


FUNERAL    ADDRESS.  11 

Mother's  Prayer,"  wherein  she  claimed  forgive- 
ness and  salvation  for  her  children,  it  appears 
that  his  mother's  death  was  the  occasion  of  his 
conversion  to  God; 

"  And  was  she  answered?     Soon  that  mother  died, 
And  left  her  children  in  a  world  of  pride. 
Yet,  scarcely  had  she  praised  the  Lord  above, 
Before  her  children  sung  redeeming  love  ; 
And  while  rejoicings  sounded  round  the  Throne,. 
Their  grateful  voices  mingled  with  her  own." 

He  entered  upon  the  Gospel  ministry  in  the 
year  1829,  and  from  the  first  was  distinguished 
by  a  glowing  eloquence,  the  effects  of  which 
were  heightened  by  his  almost  superhuman 
appearance.  In  the  fall  of  1829,  then  just  en- 
tering on  the  ministry  myself,  I  heard  him  for 
the  first  time,  nor  shall  I  ever  forget  his  voice 
and  manner,  or  lose  the  impression  made  upon 
my  mind,  as  the  vanity  of  earthly  things  and 
the  eternal  excellency  of  religion,  were  placed 
in  vivid  contrast,  in  the  final  results  from  their 
pursuit,  to  their  respective  votaries. — I  have 
often,  since  then,  heard  him  preach  more  elo- 
quent, more  argumentative,  more  impressive 
sermons,  which  have  deservedly  won  for  him  a 
reputation  for  unexcelled  pulpit  eloquence  :  but 
that  sermon  seems  to  me  to  be  preached  over 
again  by  the  silent  lips  of  our  beloved  one  as 
he  lies  in  that  coffin  :  for  he   being  dead,  yet 


12  FUNERAL    ADDRESS. 

speaketli.  Beligion  was  with  him,  through  life, 
the  principal  thing.  He  lived  in  close  commu- 
nion with  God:  and  though  conscious  of  the 
possession  of  so  rare  and  valuable  a  gift,  he 
never  seemed  in  the  least  elated  by  it.  He  had 
learned  from  Paul  that  lesson,  "  Though  I  speak 
with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and 
have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding 
brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  his  soul  was 
»o  filled  with  that  heaven-born  charity,  that 
divine  love,  that  every  mental  faculty,  every 
natural  gift,  and  every  useful  acquirement  were 
tempered  by  it.  With  him,  truly,  charity  was 
the  bond  of  perfectness.  It  added  a  heavenly 
habitude  to  the  garments  of  the  soul ;  it  shed 
its  holy  anointing  upon  his  head  ;  it  gave  its 
lustre  to  his  eye,  and  poured  its  grace  into  his 
lips.  It  bound  his  heart  to  God.  It  opened 
his  affections  to  his  fellow  men.  It  made  him 
kind,  tender,  loving,  faithful  and  true  in  all  the 
relations  of  life.  In  short  it  made  him  a  Chris- 
tian, and  "a  Christian' is  the  highest  style  of 
man." 

His  demise  occurred  last  Friday  evening, 
after  an  attack  of  several  weeks  duration  of 
chronic  diarrhoea  accompanied  with  dropsy,  by 
which  he  suffered  beyond  expression,  yet  with 
his  characteristic  patience  and  quiet  submission 
to  God.     When  the  attack  subsided  and  those 


FUNERAL   ADDRESS.  13 

forms  of  disease  abated,  he  felt  himself  appa- 
rently better,  and  thought  that  possibly  it 
might  be  the  will  of  God  that  he  should  mea- 
surably recover,  and  }'et  again  stand  up  for 
Jesus,  in  the  ranks  of  God's  faihful  ambas- 
sadors. But  the  old  difficulty  of  the  lungs, 
which  had  left  him  during;  the  other  attack,  re- 
sumed  its  sway,  and  all  recuperative  power  was 
gone.  The  hour  had  come  when  our  brother 
must  die.  And  peacefully,  trustful!}',  hope- 
fully he  entered  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  Jesus,  resting  in 
the  love  of  Jesus,  and  falling  asleep  on  the 
bosom  of  Jesus.  ';  0  blessed  sleep  !  From 
which  none  ever  wake  to  weep." 

t4  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying 
unto  me.  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die 
in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth:  Yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors  ; 
and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

"  Servant  of  God.  well  done  ; 

R"St  from  thy  loved  employ  : 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won, 
Enter  thy  Master's  joy." 

Bereaved  ones — children,  and  other  relatives 
of  the  deceased,  let  your  grief  for  his  loss  be 
accompanied  by  submission  to  God's  will,  and 
thankfulness  for  his  release  from  suffering. 
Could  he  now  speak,  he  would,  doubtless,  ad- 
2 


14  FUNERAL   ADDRESS. 

dress  you  in  the  language  of  his  own  mother 
when  dying,  "  Rejoice  with  me  !"  And  let  it  be 
your  constant  aim  to  copy  his  example,  and 
live  so  that  you  may  be  united  in  a  better 
world,  and — 

"  There  when  we  meet  with  holy  joy, 
No  thoughts  of  parting  come; 
Bat  everlasting  ages  still, 
Shall  find  us  all  at  home." 
Church  of  the  New  Testament.     Noble  rem- 
nant of  the  fruits  of  his  ministry  ;  you  have  been 
steadfast  in  your  attachment  to  }<our  pastor  to 
the  end.     It  was  in  his  heart  to  die  and  live 
with   3*011.     He    wished    to    end    his    da}Ts    in 
fellowship   with   you,    as    a   church   of    Jesus 
Christ.     The  faithfulness  of  a  few,  in  continu- 
ing this  organization   under  discouraging  cir- 
cumstances, has  consummated  that  wish.     His 
benediction  is  upon  you — Ma}'  }^ou  all  be  faith- 
ful to  the  end  of  your  Christian  course,  and  so 
at  last  consummate  his  wish  to  live  with  you 
forever  in  the  land  of  glory — the  kingdom  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Dear  friends,  one  and  all,  you  see  in  this 
coffin  the  earthly  house  of  one  who  had  nothing 
in  his  heart  but  love  towards  you  and  towards 
all  men.  He  was  not  a  bigoted  sectarist :  but 
an  earnest  life  long  advocate  of  Christian  union 
among  all  who  name  the  name  of  Christ.  But 
his  work  is  done      He  rests  in  Jesus.     Amen. 


MEMORIAL  DISCOURSE. 

Prayer  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God. — Lord,  thou  hast 
been  our  dwelling  place  in  all  generations.  Before 
the  mountains  were  brought  forth,  or  ever  thou  hadst 
formed  the  earth  and  the  world,  even  from  everlast- 
ing to  everlasting,  thou  art  God.  Thou  tamest  man 
to  destruction  ;  and  savest,  Return,  ye  children  of 
Adam.  For  a  thousand  years  in  thy  sight  are  but  as 
yesterday  when  it  is  past,  and  as  a  watch  in  the  night. 
Thou  earnest  them  away  as  with  a  flood  ;  they  are  as 
a  sleep  :  in  the  morning  they  are  like  grass,  which 
groweth  up.  In  the  morning  it  nourisheth,  and 
groweth  up  ;  in  the  evening  it  is  cut  down,  and  with- 
ereth.  For  we  are  consumed  by  thine  anger,  and  by 
thy  wrath  we  are  troubled.  Thou  hast  set  our  iniqui- 
ties before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy 
countenance.  For  all  our  days  are  passed  away  in 
thy  wrath  ;  we  spend  our  years  as  a  tale  that  is  told. 
The  days  of  our  years  are  threescore  years  and  ten  ; 
and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  fourscore  years, 
yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorrow  :  for  it  is  soon 
cut  off,  and  we  fly  away.  Who  knoweth  the  power 
of  thine  anger?  even  according  to  thy  fear,  so  is  thy 
wrath.  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may 
our  hearts  unto  wisdom. 

Return,  0  Lord,  how  long?  and  let  it  repent  thee 
concerning  thy  servants.  0  satisfy  us  early  with  thy 
mercy;  that  we  may  be  glad  and  rejoice  all  our  days. 
Make  us  glad  according  to  the  days  wherein  thou 
hast  afflicted  us,  and  the  years  wherein  we  have  seen 

15 


16  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

evil.  Let  thy  work  appear  unto  thy  servants,  and 
thy  glory  unto  their  children.  And  let  the  beauty  of 
the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us  ;  and  establish  thou  the 
work  of  our  hands  upon  us ;  yea,  the  work  of  our 
hands  establish  thou  it. 

The  Lord's  Prayer. — Our  Father,  whieh  art  in 
heaven  ;  hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come. 
Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive  us  our 
debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And  lead  us  not 
into  temptation  ;  but  deliver  us  from  evil ;  for  thine 
is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  forever. 
Amen. 


HE  WAS  A  BURNING  AND  A  SHINING  LIGHT  ;  AND 
YE  WERE  WILLING  FOR  A  SEASON  TO  REJOICE  IN 
his  light.      John  V.  35. 

In  effecting  the  redemption  of  the  world, 
God  has  appointed  times  and  seasons  ;  consti- 
tuted ages  and  dispensations ;  and  ordained 
agencies  and  instrumentalities  ;  which,  however 
deficient,  inadequate  and  feeble,  apparently,  in 
human  estimation,  are  adapted,  in  his  wisdom, 
to  secure  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose 
in  reconciling  all  things  unto  himself  by  Jesus 
Christ.  But,  until  the  end  is  reached,  in  the 
dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times,  and  the 
mystery  of  God  shall  be  finished,  it  will  seem 
to  man's  judgment,  as  if  the  measures  em- 
ployed had  utterly  failed  of  the  attainment  of 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  11 

their  object.     When,  however,  that  object  shall 
have   been  attained,  as  it  most  assuredly  will 

be,  then  the  Divine  Wisdom  will  be  justified  in 
every  stage  of  its  progress,  in  every  measure 
of  its  economy,  and  in  every  part  of  its  opera- 
tions. Then,  too,  wisdom  will  be  justified  of 
all  her  children,  however  different  their  habits, 
however  diversified  their  talents,  however  varied 
their  success.  Then,  the  character  and  work 
of  all  God's  servants  will  be  vindicated,  and 
every  one  will  receive  due  praise  of  God. 
Then,  shall  the  mistakes  of  ages  be  rectified  ; 
and  it  will  be  seen,  that,  in  all  the  apparent 
inequality  of  the  times,  the  defectiveness  of  the 
dispensations  and  inefficiency  of  the  means, 
God  was.  from  the  beginning,  all  through  the 
great  cycle  of  redemption,  accomplishing  a 
foreseen  and  predestined  result,  redounding 
alike  to  the  manifestations  of  his  glory  and  the 
praise  of  his  goodness.  And  then,  in  the  elect 
church,  glorified  with  Christ,  "  he  will  show 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kind- 
ness towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus/'  Then, 
"  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  bright- 
ness of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  forever  and 
ever."  Then,  the  burning  and  shining  lights 
of  the  ages  and  dispensations  of  grace,  which 
for  a  season  shed  their  rays  of  Gospel  truth 
2* 


13  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

upon  the  dark  world  around  them,  shall  again 
appear  as- stars  of  the  first  magnitude,  whose 
volume  of  light  shall  never  more  be  diminished, 
whose  brightness  shall  never  more  pale,  and 
whose  personal,  moral,  intellectual  and  con- 
ditional glory  shall  be  second  only  to  His  who 
is  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory  and 
the  express  image  of  his  person."  Then,  shall 
our  dear  departed  brother,  to  the  reminiscences 
of  whose  life  and  character  we  devote  this  dis- 
course, shine  as  the  peer  of  the  most  humble  in 
spirit,  pure  in  heart,  chaste  in  conversation, 
sanctified  in  intellect,  brilliant  in  imagination, 
eloquent  in  oratory,  catholic  in  christian  fellow- 
ship and  sincere  in  the  love  of  the  truth. 
Like  John  the  Baptist,  "  he  was  a  burning  and 
a  shining  light,  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  season 
to  rejoice  in  his  light."  Astronomers  tell  us, 
that  there  are  stars  so  distant  from  the  earth, 
that  their  first  rays  of  light,  traveling,  with  the 
rapidity  of  a  sunbeam,  from  the  creation  until 
now,  have  not  yet  reached  us.  It  may  be  so, 
and  if  so,  then,  if  those  distant  orbs  were  re- 
moved from  their  stations,  their  emitted  rays 
might  reach  us  to  gladden  our  eyes  long  after 
the  stars  themselves  had  perished.  We  moral- 
ize this  dogma,  and  rejoice  that  though  death 
has  removed  from  us  the  person  of  our  minis- 
terial  friend  and   brother,    it    has    not   extin- 


MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE.  19 

guished  his  light.  His  station  in  the  Gospel 
firmament  is  vacant,  but  the  great  truths  he 
taught,  and  the  principles  he  advocated,  still 
shine  on,  whether  heeded  or  not  by  those  who 
forget  him:  for  "he  being  dead,  j*et  speaketh." 
While  he  livedo  though,  bv  reason  of  physical 
prostration,  prevented  from  appearing  in  the 
pulpit  and  preaching  to  the  people  as  in  former 
years,  yet  his  very  presence  among  us  seemed 
to  remind  us  of  the  past,  and  connect  us  with 
his  eloquent  ministrations.  But  now,  that  his 
eyes  are  closed  in  the  sleep  of  death,  and  his 
voice  is  hushed  in  the  stillness  of  the  grave; 
now,  that  his  well-known  and  almost  super- 
natural form  is  prostrate  in  the  dust,  we  want 
a  photograph,  taken  in  his  prime,  to  aid  our 
recollect  ion  of  his  personal  appearance,  and 
some  friendly  reminiscences  of  his  "  doctrine, 
manner  of  life,  purpose,  faith,  long-suffering, 
charity,  patience,  persecutions  and  afflictions, 
to  revivify  the  impressions  made  upon  our 
hearts  and  minds  by  the  sublimity  of  the 
language  and  power  of  utterance,  with  which 
he  was  wont  to  proclaim  the  truths  he  loved. 
To  furnish  these,  in  a  loving,  though  brief,  yet 
comprehensive  and  just  survey  of  an  acquain- 
tance of  nearly  forty  years,  is  the  object  of  our 
aspiration. 

Thomas   Hewlings   Stockton  was   born   at 


20  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

Mount  Holly,  in  Burlington  county,  New  Jer- 
sey, June  4th,  1808 — and  died  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  Penns3Tlvania,  October  9th,  1868 
— aged  sixty  years  four  months  and  five  days, 
in  which  period  is  comprised  a  life,  geographi- 
cally limited  to  a  few  States  of  the  Union,  but 
sympathetically  outstretching  the  continent, 
and  making  the  world  its  own  ;  a  life  chrono- 
logically restricted  to  threescore  years,  but 
meditatively  existing  through  coming  ages, 
and  seeking  to  realize  in  the  present  the  hopes 
he  entertained  for  the  future ;  a  life  therefore 
in  advance  of  his  own  time. 

His  parents  and  their  ancestors,  for  genera- 
tions, were  respectable,  intelligent  and  pious ; 
and  without  disparagement  to  other  branches 
of  the  family,  we  may  be  allowed  to  say,  that 
their  noblest  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  ap- 
pear to  have  culminated  in  their  talented  de- 
scendant and  worthy  representative. 

His  father,  William  S.  Stockton,  "  son  of 
two  of  the  earliest  Methodists  in  the  State"  of 
New  Jersey, — "a  simple-hearted,  active-minded, 
observant,  thoughtful,  honest,  earnest,  zealous, 
sanguine,  American  freeman  and  Christian, 
desiring  and  alining  only  to  do  good,  and  set- 
ting so  much  value  on  all  great  rights  and  in- 
terests as  to  be  willing  to  toil  and  make  sacri- 
fices in   their  behalf,"  was  the    originator,   in 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  21 

1821  of  "theWesleyan  Repository,"  one  ob- 
ject of  which  was  to  discuss  such  reforms  as 
were  deemed  desirable  in  the  ecclesiastical 
polity  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
This  was  at  a  time  when  the  son  was  of  an  age 
to  become  deeply  interested  in  such  matters, 
and  to  this  publication,  and  the  controversy 
growing  out  of  it,  we  may  trace  the  radical 
views  of  Mr.  Stockton  on  Church  government, 
as  we  trace  most  of  his  doctrinal  views  to  his 
early  Methodist  training.  His  estimate  of 
Methodism  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  we  give 
in  his  own  language.  He  said,  in  a  discourse 
delivered  March  11th,  1855:  "  Primitive  Metho- 
dism appears  to  have  been  the  purest  and  most 
useful  revival  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ever 
known  in  the  history  of  the  church.  Even  in 
its  present  numerous  and  diverse  forms,  I 
think  it  may  be  said  of  it,  with  entire  propriety, 
at  least  in  relation  to  our  own  country,  that — 
if  Providence  should  decree  that  only  one  of 
the  existing  systems  of  Christian  agency  should 
remain  in  existence  after  this  night,  there  is 
reason  to  desire  that  it  might  be,  and  to  be- 
lieve that  it  would  be,  the  great  Methodist  sys- 
tem— the  most  hopeful  of  all,  by  far.  in  view 
of  the  salvation  of  the  people  at  large.  But, 
originally,  Methodism  was  only  spiritual. 
Since  then  it  has    become   ecclesiastical.     Its 


22  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

spiritual  character  has  always  been  its  glory. 
Its  ecclesiastical  character  has  alwa}-s  been  its 
shame.  From  the  beginning,  its  government 
has  been  an  intermitting  volcano:  starting,  at 
various  intervals,  into  flaming  eruption,  and 
filling  the  circuit  of  its  power  with  saddest  de- 
vastations. Alas!  for  all  man's  governments! 
Alas  I  for  all  over-government — all  unyielding 
government — all  idolized  government!  Would 
to  God  jthat  Christ  might  be  confessed  all  in  all 
— that  the  time  might  be  hastened  in  which 
'the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder* 
and  no  where  else — in  which  his  people  shall 
be  '  not  without  law  to  God,  but  under  the  law 
to  Christ/  and  to  no  one  else/* 

At  first  he  designed  to  become  a  physician, 
and  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with 
Doctor  Thomas  Dunn,  of  Philadelphia,  in  com- 
pany with  two  other  young  men,  Samuel,  one 
of  the  Doctor's  sons,  and  Gamaliel  Bailej-,  who 
became  his  fast  friends  through  life,  and  who, 
contrary  to  all  their  expectations,  died  before 
him,  an  instance  of  the  uncertainty  of  calcula- 
tions of  long  life  based  upon  physical  health. 
On  one  occasion  when  they  were  conversing 
about  their  prospects  for  the  future,  Samuel, 
tall  and  athletic,  smiting  his  broad,  expansive  i 
chest,  said  that  he  considered  himself  good  for  J 
at  least  fifty  years ;   Gamaliel,  robust  and  well 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  23 

set,  regarded  his  prospects  as  equally  fair; 
while  our  friend,  slender  and  delicate,  said 
nothing,  but  only  looked  the  doubt  with  which 
he  regarded  his  chances  for  many  years;  and 
they  would  say  to  each  other:  "  Poor  fellow! 
he  cannot  live  long,'7 

Samuel  Dunn  finished  his  studies,  graduated, 
went  to  Mississippi,  married  there,  practiced 
medicine  a  number  of  years,  and  was  the  first  to 
put  off  the  earthly  tabernacle.  Gamaliel  Bailey 
also  graduated,  but  being  of  a  more  literary 
turn,  became  an  editor,  first,  by  recommendation 
of  Mr.  Stockton,  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church  paper,  and  afterwards  of  an  anti-slavery 
periodical,  which  he  finally  removed  to  Washing- 
Ion,  called  it  the  "National  Era,"  and  con- 
ducted with  marked  ability  until  he  also, 
several  years  ago,  fell  by  the  shaft  of  death. 
A  different  course  was  marked  out.  in  the  Provi- 
dence of  God  for  Thomas  H.  Stockton.  The 
expulsion  of  a  number  of  the  reformers  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Baltimore, 
Cincinnati,  and  other  places,  had  given  rise  to 
the  organization  of  Associated  Methodist 
Churches,  and  occasioned  a  demand  for  young 
men  of  piety  and  talent  to  enter  the  ministry. 
And  among  others,  Mr.  Stockton,  who,  in  1828, 
pad  united  in  marriage  ^ith  Anna  R.  McCurdy, 


24  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

a  sister  of  the  late  John  11.  McCardy,  was 
moved  to  employ  the  gift  which  God  had  be- 
stowed upon  him,  in  preaching  the  Gospel. 
Having,  in  1829,  preached  once  or  twice  in 
Philadelphia,  and  being  approved  by  the  breth- 
ren, he  was  received  into  the  Maryland  Annual 
Conference,  and  stationed  on  the  Eastern  Shore. 
Here  he  captivated  all  hearts  by  his  unrivalled 
eloquence,  combined  with  a  meek  and  unassum- 
ing deportment,  and  the  almost  heavenly  ex- 
pression of  his  countenance,  while  pleading 
with  man  for  God.  Here  he  was  heard  for  the 
first  time  by  Amelia  Welby,  who  has  immortal- 
ized the  occasion  and  the  orator  by  her  sweet 
poem,  entitled  Pulpit  Eloquence,  from  which 
we  extract  a  few  lines  : 

"  Such  language  as  his  I  may  never  recall ; 
But  his  theme  was  salvation — salvation  to  all ; 
And  the  souls  of  a  thousand  in  ecstasy  hung 
On  the  manna-like  sweetness  that  dropped  from  hig 

tongue ; 
T^ot  alone  on  the  ear  his  wild  eloquence  stole  ; 
Enforced  hy  each  gesture  it  sank  to  the  soul, 
'Till  it  seemed  that  an  angel  had  brightened  the  sod, 
And  brought  to  each  bosom  a  message  from  God. 
He  spake,  and  it  seemed  that  his  statue-like  form 
Expanded  and  glowed  as  his  spirit  grew  warm — 
His  tone  so  impassioned,  so  melting  his  air, 
As  touched  with  compassion,  he  ended  in  prayer 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  2d 

His  hands  clasped  above  him,  his  blue  orbs  up- 
thrown, 

Still  pleading  for  sins  that  were  never  his  own, 

While  that  mouth,  where  such  sweetness  ineffable 
clung, 

Still  spoke,  though  expression  had  died  on  his 
tongue. 

0,  God  !  wliat  emotions  the  speaker  awoke  ! 

A  mortal  he  seemed — yet  a  deity  spoke  ; 

A  man — yet  so  far  from  humanity  riven  ! 

On  earth — yet  so  closely  connected  with  heaven  ! 

How  oft,   in  my  fancy,  I've  pictured  him  there, 

As  he  stood  in  that  triumph  of  passion  and  prayer. 

With  his  eyes  closed  in  rapture — their  transient 
eclipse 

Made  bright  by  the  smile,  that  illumined  his  lips. 

Here,  also,  at  the  residence  of  Judge  Hopper, 
an  incident  occurred  illustrative  of  his  wonder- 
fed  power  of  description.  A  young  colored 
man  was  appointed  to  wait  upon  Mr.  Stockton, 
who  embraced  the  opportunity,  thus  offered,  to 
enlighten  a  dark  mind  and  win  a  soul  to  Jesus. 
One  morning  Mr.  Stockton  asked  him  whether 
he  would  not  like  to  2:0  to  heaven  ?  assuring 
him  that  it  was  a  beautiful  and  glorious  place, 
and  giving  a  vivid  description  of  it.  as  only  he 
was  capable  of  doing.  His  auditor  listened 
with  absorbed  attention — e3'es  and  mouth  open — 
and  as  soon  as  Mr.  Stockton  ceased,  exclaimed 
in  wondering  inquiry  :  ",  La,  Massa  Stockton  ; 
you  bin  dar  ?" 

3 


26  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

Iii  1830  he  was  appointed  a  delegate  to,  and 
attended  the  convention  which  formed  the  Con- 
stitution and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Protest- 
ant Church.  In  the  same  year  he  was  stationed 
at  Baltimore  in  charge  of  two  churches,  where 
his  reputation  for  eloquence,  having  preceded 
him,  attracted  large  and  attentive  auditories. 
The  labor  was,  however,  too  much  for  his 
physical  strength,  and,  in  1831,  he  was  ap- 
pointed missionary  at  large,  on  account  of 
feeble  health.  He  was  benefited  by  the  year's 
exemption  from  a  regular  charge,  and  suffi- 
ciently recuperated  to  resume  his  labors  in 
1832,  when  he  was  again  stationed  on  the 
Eastern  Shore,  with  his  home  at  Easton,  in 
Talbot  County,  where  he  formed  many  pleasant 
acquaintances  and  lasting  friendships.  In  1833 
~4,  he  was  stationed  at  Georgetown,  P.  C,  and 
while  there,  was  elected  Chaplain  to  Congress ; 
and  his  fame  as  a  preacher  became  as  wide- 
spread as  the  Union.  A  Senator,  speaking  of 
his  sermons  in  the  Hall,  said,  that  the  members 
of  both  Houses  were  taken  b\r  surprise,  and  the 
general  opinion  seemed  to  be,  that,  in  his  first 
effort,  he  had  plumed  himself  for  his  highest 
flight ;  and  that  he  could  not  possibly  keep  it 
up.  But  when  the  second  exceeded  the  first, 
and  the  third  surpassed  the  second,  and  each 
succeed  in  g  one  seemed  more  excellent  than  the 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  27 

preceding,  and  withal  so  simple,  unassuming 
and  devout,  they  passed  into  the  highest  admi- 
ration of  his  talents,  and  regard  for  his  piety. 
The  celebrated  William  Wirt,  who  regularly 
attended  the  services,  was  wont  to  call  him 
Nature's  Orator;  and  Henry  Clay  styled  him 
the  most  eloquent  man  in  America. 

After  the  adjournment  of  Congress,  in  the 
v.he  spring  of  1835,  he  travelled  West  as  agent 
for  the  Methodist  Protestant  Book  Concern, 
representing  its  interest  and  soliciting  funds 
for  its  establishment ;  returning  at  the  reas- 
sembling of  Congress  to  his  post  as  Chaplain. 
During  this  period  he  became  acquainted  with 
most  of  the  eminent  men  in  Washington  ;  and 
we  have  frequently  heard  him  speak  of  certain 
celebrities,  with  such  nice  and  just  discrimina- 
tion of  character  and  talents,  as  showed  that 
he  had  fully  weighed  them  in  his  comprehensive 
and  analytical  mind. 

In  1836-7,  he  was  again  stationed  at  St. 
John's  Church,  in  Baltimore,  where  he  was 
highly  esteemed  and  useful.  During  his  pastoi 
ate  here,  an  abscess  was  developed  on  his  right 
lung;  and  a  visit  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
was  made  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  In  1838, 
the  General  Conference  elected  him  editor  of 
the  u Methodist  Protestant;"  but  the  Book 
Committee,  fearing  he   might    conduct    it  too 


28  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

liberally  for  the  Southern  latitude,  imposed 
certain  restrictions  upon  the  editorship,  which 
left  to  him  no  other  course  than  to  resign,  for 
his  free-born  spirit  could  not  brook  a  chain. 
Others  could  be  found  willing  to  compromise 
self-respect  and  freedom  of  thought  and  speech 
for  position  ;  but  it  was  not  in  him  to  do  so. 
Fidelity  to  God  and  the  truth  and  the  Church 
forbade  it.  At  the  same  time  he  resigned  his 
charge  of  St.  John's  Church,  and  removed  to 
Philadelphia.  Here  he  was  at  first  employed 
by  the  Philadelphia  Institute,  and  preached  in 
their  hall  on  Filbert  street,  to  large  and  ap- 
preciative congregations.  His  preaching  was 
remarkable  for  its  power,  not  only  to  captivate 
the  understanding,  but  to  melt  the  heart.  A 
gentleman,  an  acquaintance  of  ours,  assigned 
as  a  reason  for  discontinuing  to  attend  his 
ministry,  that  he  could  not  stand  it;  Mr.  Stock- 
ton made  a  baby  of  him,  that  he  could  do 
nothing  but  weep.  A  few  years  later  we  had  a 
personal  experience  of  this  melting  influence 
under  a  sermon  he  preached  at  Belair  Camp 
Meeting,  Hartford  County,  Maryland,  from 
the  words,  "  God  is  love.  It  was  in  demons- 
tration of  the  Spirit  and  power.  Believers 
were  edified,  and  sinners  were  turned  from 
Satan  to  God. 

In  1839  he  organized  a  number  of  believers 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  29 

into  a  Methodist  Church.  In  1840  they  com- 
menced building  this  meeting  house  (on  the 
corner  of  Eleventh  and  Wood  streets),  which  in 
1841  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  religions 
services.  Here  until  1841  he  continued  to 
preach  to  the  people  the  unsearchable  riches 
of  Christ  ;  and  for  three  years  the  Church 
nourished  finely ;  many  being  added  to  the 
Lord  through  his  ministry.  It  was  during 
this  period,  also,  that  he  turned  his  attention 
to  some  literary  labors  in  connection  with  his 
ministerial  work.  First  he  issued  a  neat  little 
monthly  sheet,  entitled  ';  The  Methodist  Pro- 
testant Letter  Press,"  which,  however,  soon 
gave  place  to  the  "  Christian  World,"  devoted 
to  the  development  of  "  Bible  Christianity" — 
"  Its  first  principle — the  oneness  of  mankind  ; 
its  second — the  oneness  of  Christians."  It 
comprises  several  volumes,  and  was  conducted 
with  marked  ability,  though  of  too  high  an 
order  to  be  generally  popular,  and  too  far 
advanced  in  Christian  liberality  for  the  times  ; 
and,  therefore,  successful  to  onlj'  a  limited 
extent.  It  was  "not  Anti-Sectarian;  but  un- 
sectarian  and  super-sectarian  ;  not  opposed  to 
any  of  the  sects,  not  connected  with  any,  but 
above  all."  It  was  the  work  which  tended  to 
the  rapid  expansion  of  Mr.  Stockton's  views 
on  Christian  union  ;  carrying  him  so  far  above 
3* 


30  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

and  beyond  the  sects,  as  to  desire  nothing  better 
or  nobler  for  them  all,  than  a  complete  fusion 
in  the  crucible  of  Divine  love,  and  a  new 
moulding  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  Son  of  God. 

The  conducting  and  editing  of  this  periodical, 
added  greatly  to  his  labors,  and  emplo}Ted 
much  of  his  time,  justifying  his  own  remark 
that  he  had  u  too  many  engagements."  He 
needed  an  assistant,  but  the  means  were  want- 
ing to  employ  one. 

By  the  General  Conference  of  1838,  the 
Maryland  District  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church,  was  made  to  embrace  all  the  Eastern 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  south  of  the  Blue  Ridge; 
and  as  it  was  deemed  advisable  that  Mr.  Stock- 
ton should  continue  at  this  Church,  it  was 
made  a  mission,  that  it  might  be  exempted 
from  the  operation  of  the  restrictive  rule,  which 
indicated  that  ministers  should  not  be  con- 
tinued in  stations  and  circuits  longer  than  two 
years  at  a  time.  This  gave  rise  to  what  was 
called  the  Mission  question,  which  was,  that 
churches  might  be  made  Missions  with  a  view 
to  the  accommodation  of  special  interests. 
The  advocates  of  exclusive  itineranfey  took 
alarm,  and  commenced  an  opposition  to  the 
measure ;  causing  much  contention,  whereby 
not  only  was  the  work  of  the  Lord  hindered, 


MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE.  31 

but  much  of  the  good  already  accomplished 
was  destroyed.  When  the  contention  was  at 
its  height,  the  Conference  held  its  session 
in  Mr.  Stockton's  church,  and  diffused  the 
virus  through  the  Church,  finally  resulting  in 
the  secession  of  a  part  of  the  membership. 

In  1846  Mr.  Stockton  was  sent  by  the 
churches  of  Philadelphia  as  a  special  messen- 
ger to  the  General  Conference;  to  request  that 
all  Eastern  Pennsylvania  to  the  Susquehanna 
River,  and  south  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  might  be 
made  the  territory  of  a  new  Annual  Conference, 
to  be  called  the  Philadelphia  District,  with 
liberty  to  operate  under  the  Mission  Rule,  and 
so  test  its  adaptation  to  the  needs  of  the 
churches.  In  this  mission  he  was  success 
and  the  conference  was  organized  ;  and  in  four 
years'  time  trebled  the  number  of  its  members, 
and  built  two  or  three  churches.  But  all  this 
was  reversed  by  the  action  of  the  next  General 
Conference,  which,  instigated  by  the  Exclusive 
Itinerants,  annulled  the  Philadelphia  District, 
and  returned  the  churches  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Maryland  Annual  Conference,  which 
now,  after  the  lapse  of  eighteen  years,  lias  a 
single  church  and  perhaps  less  than  one  hun- 
dred members,  where  there  were  then  several 
churches  and  about  fifteen  hundred  members. 

In  1847  Mr.  Stockton  organized  his  "  Chris- 


32  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

tian  Society  of  Brotherly  Love,"  which  had 
been  contemplated  by  him  for  two  years.  It 
was  designed  "  to  supply  the  natural,  spiritual 
and  social  need  of  its  members  and  others,  in 
the  name,  for  the  honor,  according  to  the 
commandments  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."  Its  two  great  principles  were,  "  The 
Bible  is  the  Book  of  God,  and  Private  judg- 
ment is  the  duty  and  right  of  man."  Though 
not  claiming  to  be  a  church,  it  was  in  reality  a 
church,  simply  a  Christian  church,  acknowledg- 
ing Christ  as  the  only  head,  and  the  word  of 
God  as  the  only  rule.  Mr.  Stockton's  desire  to 
avoid  even  the  appearance  of  organizing  a  new 
sect  prevented  him  from  calling  it  by  its  proper 
name  ;  and  his  strong  attachment  to  the  Metho- 
dist Protestant  Church,  notwithstanding  his 
convictions  of  the  defectiveness  of  that  and  all 
other  sectarian  denominations,  disposed  him 
rather  to  embody  his  views  of  a  New  Testament 
Church  in  the  form  of  a  society,  which  might 
exemplify  Christianity  in  all  its  relations,  and 
do  what  the  sects  failed  to  do  ;  and  then,  react- 
ing on  the  churches,  incite  them  to  a  higher 
Christian  standard,  and  a  more  thorough  Chris- 
tian work.  He  even  wished  his  own  church  to 
remain  Methodist  Protestant,  rather  than  to 
sever  its  sectarian  connection  and  become 
simply  a   Christian    Church.     This,  we  think, 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  33 

was  the  chief  cause  of  his  want  of  success  in 
this  enterprise.  Another  reason  was,  that  his 
disapprobation  of  Secret  Societies,  which  had 
been  candidly  stated  at  a  Bible  presentation  of 
the  Order  of  Sons  of  Temperance,  at  which  lie 
delivered  an  address,  on  condition  that  he 
should  be  allowed  first  to  explain  his  position, 
and  was  subsequently  more  fully  expressed,  in 
contrasting  them  with  the  Christian  Society  of 
Brotherly  Love,  gave  offence  to  many,  who 
walked  no  more  with  him  :  counting  him  as  an 
enemy,  because  he  told  them  the  truth.  And 
so  on  these  several  accounts  the  number  of  his 
hearers  was  diminished. 

About  this  time  he  received  and  accepted  an 
invitation  to  take  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
Sixth  Street  Methodist  Protestant  Church  of 
Cincinnati,  and  removed  to  that  city,  being 
succeeded  in  Philadelphia  by  J.  T  Ward,  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  now  President  of  the  Metho- 
dist Protestant  College,  Westminster,  Md. 

In  Cincinnati  he  remained  three  years — 
most  of  the  time  Pastor  of  the  Sixth  Street 
Church.  The  first  winter  he  was  seriously  ill, 
not  expected  to  live — but  the  Lord  graciously 
raised  him  up  and  gave  him  strength  to  resume 
his  labors.  Here,  if  anywhere,  with  every  thing 
pleasant  in  the  pastoral  connection,  he  might 
have  contented  himself  with  operating  in  that 


34  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

limited  sphere ;  but  his  soul  burned  with  de- 
sire to  be  employed  in  more  enlarged  and 
wholly  Christian  relations.  His  plans  had 
been  previously  explained  in  lectures  delivered 
in  the  Sixth  Street  Church,  and  he  supposed 
that  the  brethren  would  sympathize  with  him 
in  endeavoring  to  carry  them  out.  This  had 
measurably  influenced  his  removal  from  Phila- 
delphia. In  about  two  months  after  his  arrival 
in  Cincinnati,  was  formed  "  The  Ladies  Com- 
mittee of  Instruction  and  Relief,"  as  prelimi- 
nary to  the  organization  of  a  "  Christian 
Society  of  Brotherly  Love."  In  the  ensuing 
autumn  he  instituted  a  "  Young  Men's  Reading- 
Class;"  and  in  the  winter  following  a  "Good 
Boy's  Band."  Other  modes  of  doing  good 
were  proposed,  dependent,  however,  upon  funds, 
which  were  not  furnished. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  he  was  elected  Presi- 
dent of  the  Miami  University,  and  he  says, 
"  This  appointment  opened  many  a  new  and 
attractive  vision,  both  of  personal  advantage 
and  social  usefulness. .  .  .  And  would  afford 
great  facilities  for  securing  attention  to  favorite 
views  and  schemes  of  progress.  But  I  always 
felt  a  repugnance  to  the  mere  influence  of  po- 
sition. Alas  !  how  hurtful  has  it  often  proved  ! 
The  influence  most  to  be  desired  is  that  of 
truth  and  righteousness,  acknowledged  without 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  35 

thought  of  position."  After  considering  the 
matter,  he  decided,  in  accordance  with  the  ex- 
pressed wishes  of  the  Clmrch  and  congregation., 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  in  hope  of 
greater  usefulness,  to  remain  in  Cincinnati. 
The  object  at  which  he  aimed  is  indicated  in 
the  following  memoranda,  written  at  this  time  ; 
"  If  I  could  have  my  whole  wish,  in  relation  to 
the  Church,  it  would  be  something  like  this  : 
(To)  show  to  the  world  the  Purity — the  Sim- 
plicity— the  Equality — the  Unity — the  Liberty 
— the  GoD-like  Love,  of  Bible  Christianity. 
Away  with  all  False  Authority  in  the  Church 
of  Christ.'7  But  he  found  that  sectarian  or- 
ganizations clung  so  tenaciously  to  false  au- 
thority, that  all  hope  for  the  Church,  in  that 
connection,  was  at  an  end.  And,  having  re- 
moved into  the  neighborhood  of  a  vacant  church 
edifice,  it  occurred  to  him  that  a  beginning  of 
an  entirely  unsectarian  character  might  be  com- 
menced. He  mentioned  the  matter  to  three 
brethren ;  and  made  inquiry  whether  the  house 
could  be  rented.  Immediately  the  officiary  of 
the  Church  held  a  meeting,  "in  reference  to 
certain  reports  in  circulation,  relating  to  a  new 
Church  or  society,  about  to  be  started  or  put  in 
operation  by  Brother  Stockton,  disconnected 
perhaps  with  our  regular  organization  as  a 
Church  or  Conference,"  and  requested  of  him 


36  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

"  a  written  exposition  of  his  views  and  wishes." 
To  which  he  replied,  that  he  "  could  not  pledge 
himself  not  to  attempt  the  formation  of  such  a 
Church  at  anytime;  though,  he  then  had  no 
design  of  doing  so,  because  he  had  no  en- 
couragement. "  Next,  a  Church  meeting  was 
called — the  correspondence  read — and  the  dele- 
gate to  the  Annual  Conference  instructed  to  ask 
for  his  reappointment,  which  was  obtained. 
But  the  sensitive  mind  of  our  brother  was 
wounded.  And  he  says,  "  It  seemed  as  though 
I  should  never  find  an  opportunity  of  working 
for  Christ  alone,  but  must  live  and  die  the 
slave  of  a  party  ;  unless,  indeed,  I  would  break 
all  bonds  at  once,  by  becoming  In  dependent. " 
By  a  subsequent  demand  of  the  Church  officiary 
for  all  his  time  or  none,  the  yoke  became  too 
oppressive  to  be  borne,  and,  on  the  24th  of 
December,  he  sent  his  resignation  to  the  Quar- 
terly Conference,  to  take  effect  as  soon  as  a  suc- 
cessor should  be  provided.  And  the  Quarterly 
Conference  immediately  released  him  from  any 
further  ministerial  duties. 

Now,  for  the  first  in  his  life,  he  had  to  hunt 
a  place  in  which  to  preach  :  and  the  first  place 
opened  to  him  was  the  Unitarian  Chapel.  And 
so,  laying  aside  some  objections,  not  worthy  to 
be  cherished,  he  availed  himself  of  this  opening. 
The  Church  treated  him  with  never  forgotten 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  37 

kindness  ;  persons  of  all  denominations  largely 
sustained  the  services,  and  he  preached  as  free- 
ly as  he  could  have  done  on  the  top  of  a  moun- 
tain. Afterwards  he  occupied  the  Masonic 
Hall,  a  much  more  ample  room;  and  he  soy>: 
'•  Ma}'  God  abundantly  reward  the  friends  who 
have  hitherto  sheltered  us!  enriching  them. 
especially  with  all  spiritual  blessing-  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

After  a  season  of  discouragement,  in  which  he 
seemed  to  stand  alone,  wondering  at  the  almost 
universal  abandonment  of  one  who  was  seeking 
simply  to  honor  Ciirist,  and  do  good  to  man- 
kind, by  presenting  the  true  principles  of  the 
gospel  in  all  its  relations ;  he  was,  all  at  once, 
by  an  unexpected  succor,  lifted  over  the  bar, 
and  looked  forward  to  fair  sailing  and  deep 
waters.  And  he  indulged  in  a  sublime  and 
defiant  apostrophe  to  Sectarianism  in  his  an- 
ticipated triumph  over  it.  We  would  like  to 
quote  his  words,  for  never  was  there  a  more 
vivid  portraiture  of  this  world-wide  perversion 
of  Christianity  drawn,  than  that  which  burst 
from  bis  impassioned  lips  ;  but  it  would  require 
the  look,  and  tone,  and  gesture,  as  well  as  the 
language  of  a  Stockton,  to  do  it  justice.  But, 
as  the  friend  and  associate  of  Luther,  in  his 
anticipated  triumph  over  the  wickedness  of 
human  nature,  found  that  Old  Adam  was  too 
4 


38  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

strong  for  young  Melancthon  ;  so  Mr.  Stockton 
soon  found  that  Sectarianism  was  too  strona 
for  even  the  eloquence  of  his  lips,  and  the  fer- 
vor of  his  love.  Entrenched  behind  the  bul- 
warks of  thirty  different  denominations,  even 
in  that  very  city,  it  laughed  to  scorn  the  might 
of  the  " slender  one,"  and  spurned  his  "Bible 
alliance "  of  "  the  pen,  the  pulpit,  and  the 
press."  And  so,  after  a  brief  struggle,  in 
writing,  preaching,  and  publishing  his  views, 
he  was  borne  down  by  overwhelming  odds,  and 
adverse  circumstances.  But  he  had  borne  his 
testimony  faithfully  against  unchristian  divi- 
sions, and  in  favor  of  the  Christian  unity  of  the 
Church,  in  the  Queen  City  of  the  West,  as  he 
had  previously  done  in  the  City  of  Brotherly 
Love  in  the  East.  And  Providence  terminated 
his  labors  there  by  a  call  to  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land, in  the  year  1850. 

The  call  to  Baltimore  associated  him  with  a 
dear  and  loving  brother,  A.  Webster,  D.D.,  as 
assistant  minister  of  St.  John's  Church,  in 
which  he  had  many  warm-hearted  and  generous 
friends.  This  Church  and  its  pastor,  and  the 
Philadelphia  Church  and  its  pastor,  had  been 
placed  in  an  independent  position,  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Maryland  Annual  Conference,  in 
1844,  as  a  sort  of  compromise  of  the  Mission 
Question,  in  leaving  the  Churches  unsupplied, 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  39 

and  Mr.  Stockton  and  Mr.  Webster  without 
appointments  until  the  officiaries  of  these 
churches  should  again  ask  to  be  supplied.  This 
Church  and  its  pastor  accepted  the  position, 
and  retained  it  by  letting  the  Conference 
alone.  And  the  Conference  dropped  them  from 
the  list  of  Churches  and  ministers:  so  that 
they  thus  became  an  independent  Christian 
Church.  Here,  then,  Mr.  Stockton  was  in  the 
midst  of  old  friends,  and,  so  far  as  this 
congregation  was  concerned,  with  congenial 
Church  relations.  Having  but  one  service  to 
attend  to  in  St.  John's  on  the  Sabbath,  he  was 
at  liberty  to  accept,  and  was  subsequently  in- 
vited to  supply  the  pulpit  of  the  Independent 
Congregation  in  Fa}rette  street,  left  vacant  by 
the  demise  of  their  pastor,  John  M.  Duncan, 
D.D.  He  says  of  the  six  years  spent  in  these 
pleasant  connections,  "  Some  of  my  most  de- 
lightful memories  belong  to  that  interval.'7  It 
was  a  season  of  rest  to  his  weary  spirit,  and  he 
enjoyed  it;  but  he  was  not  entirely  satisfied. 
He  was  free  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  all  its  con- 
nections ;  but  he  was  in  a  measure  restricted 
in  other  directions  ;  and  his  sensitive  nature 
felt  the  slightest  touch.  Some  of  bis  best 
friends  were  of  the  opinion  that  preaching  was 
his  special  calling,  and  regarded  his  schemes 
of  usefulness   outside   of  this  calling,  as  inju- 


40  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

rious  to  him  ;  and  hence  gave  him  neither  sym- 
pathy nor  encouragement  in  his  projected  pub- 
lication of  the  "  Bible  in  separate  volumes, 
etc.,"  his  "  Bible  Times,"  and  "  Bible  Tracts.'7 

Another  thing  caused  him  some  embarrass- 
ment ;  it  was  his  position  in  the  Church  on 
Fayette  street — "a  temporary  pastorate,  with 
the  pulpit  frequently  occupied  by  candidates 
for  a  permanent  relation,  making  him  feel  as  if 
he  should  stand  aloof,  except  as  duty  impera- 
tively called  him  to  some  of  the  homes  of  the 
people."  And  when  at  ]ast  the  Church  elected 
another  minister  to  the  pastorate,  he  decided 
to  terminate  his  relation  to  St.  John's  Church 
also,  and  remove  to  Philadelphia  in  1856. 

On  his  return  to  this  city  he  was  at  first 
without  any  pastoral  charge,  and  gave  his  at- 
tention more  to  his  Bible  plan.  He  issued  the 
New  Testament  in  paragraph  form,  with  all  the 
marginal  readings  and  full  indexes.  This  is 
perhaps  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  as  it  is  also 
one  of  the  purest  editions  of  the  New  Testament 
ever  issued  ;  and  was  bound  in  one  volume,  or 
in  separate  books,  to  suit  the  wishes  of  pur- 
chasers. He  published  also  "Home  and  Tre- 
gelles'  Introductions  to  the  Books  of  the  New 
Testament,"  "  The  Student's  Memorandum," 
and  "Bible  Tracts;  or  Leaves  from  the  Tree  of 
Life;  the  design  being',  in  whole,  to  supply  a 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  41 

series  adapted  to  all  varieties  of  minds  and  in- 
terests— maintaining  Christian  principles  at  all 
hazards."  But  notwithstanding  their  excel- 
lency in  matter  and  form,  they  obtained  a  very 
limited  circulation,  as  was  to  be  expected  from 
the  almost  private  manner  in  which  they  were 
published.  "  Of  course  the  poor  projector  had 
a  hard  struggle,  and,  so  far  as  continuance  of 
his  press  was  concerned,  ultimately  succumbed, 
saving,  however,  his  principles,  and  having  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  some  of  his  im- 
provements, by  the  adoption  of  other  pub- 
lishers, became  common  possessions  and  bles- 
sings to  the  country  at  large.'' 

At  sundry  times  he  published  several  other 
pamphlets  and  books,  as  "  The  Pastor's  Tri- 
bute," "  Floating  Flowers  from  a  Hidden 
Brook,'7  "  Something  New,"  "Addresses  on  the 
Bible ;  Temperance,  Christian  Union,  etc.," 
"  The  Bible  Alliance,"  "  Occasional  Sermons," 
••The  Blessing,"  '-'Stand  up  for  Jesus," 
"  Poems,"  "  The  Peerless  Magnificence  of  the 
Word  of  God,"  and  "  Sermons  for  the  People." 
This  last  named  was  the  only  book  regularly 
published,  and  has  passed  through  several  edi- 
tions. 

This  Church  (at  Eleventh  and  Wood  streets) 
was  in  the  Philadelphia  District  of  the  Method- 
ist Protestant  Church,  when  Mr.  Stockton  left  for 
4* 


42  MEMORIAL     DISCOURSE. 

Cincinnati ;  and  so  continued  until  the  General 
Conference  of  1850  annulled  the  District,  for 
doing  what  four  years  previous  it  was  allowed 
to  do,  when,  along  with  the  Ebenezer  Church 
of  Kensington,  it  became  Independent.  Mr. 
Ward,  the  successor  of  Mr.  Stockton,  labored 
with  this  Church  usefully  and  successfully  until 
sometime  after  Mr.  Stockton's  return  to  Phila- 
delphia, when  he  resigned  the  pastorate,  and 
united  again  with  the  Maryland  Annual  Con- 
ference :  and  the  Church  was  induced  to  yield 
its  independency  and  come  under  the  control 
of  the  same  Conference  by  uniting  with,  and 
transferring  its  property  to,  the  Bethlehem 
Station — seceders  from  the  Church  on  account 
of  being  opposed  to  the  Mission  question,  when 
under  Mr.  Stockton's  care,  and  before  he  left 
for  Cincinnati.  This  step,  it  was  thought, 
would  ensure  to  the  Methodist  Protestants  a 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  free  from  debt,  and  in 
a  flourishing  condition  ;  as  the  Bethlehem  breth- 
ren were  to  sell  their  property  in  Melon  street, 
and  pay  the  balance  owing  on  Eleventh  and 
Wood  street  house,  and  occcupy  it:  and  never 
seemed  prospect  brighter  for  such  a  consum- 
mation. After  this  transaction,  Mr.  Stockton, 
with  some  friends,  rented  a  hall,  where  they 
met  as  the  Church  of  the  New  Testament,  hav- 
ing regular    religious    services    and  a  Sunday 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  iS 

school,  until  providentially  put  again  in  tem- 
porary occupancy  of  the  old  house  :  for  the 
Bethlehem  Station,  by  some  mismanagement, 
not  only  failed  to  dispose  of  the  Melon  street 
property,  but,  by  retaining  it,  became  more 
deeply  involved  in  debt,  and,  at  last,  by  due 
process  of  law,  both  houses  were  sold  from 
them  by  their  creditors.  One  of  Mr.  Stock- 
ton's friends  attended  the  sale  of  this  house 
(corner  of  Eleventh  and  Wood  streets}  to  buy  it 
for  the  Church  of  the  New  Testament ;  but 
was  deterred  from  bidding  by  an  assurance 
from  the  asrent  of  the  creditor,  that  he  was  £0- 
ing  to  bid  it  in  for  Mr.  Stockton.  When  sold, 
however,  the  agent  gave  the  name  of  the 
creditor  as  the  purchaser,  thus  securing  to 
for  one-fourth  of  its  value,  a  property  mainly 
built  by  the  contributions  of  the  people  to  the 
house  of  God.  An  offer  to  purchase  the 
property  of  the  new  owner  by  paying  the  mort- 
gage, interest,  and  all  expenses,  was  declined 
by  the  agent,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  worth 
$30,000  :  and  it  was  only  leased  to  Mr.  Stock- 
ton for  a  certain  number  of  years.  This  was, 
no  doubt,  meant  to  be  a  kindness,  but  it  was  a 
mistaken  kindness:  forasmuch  as,  if  he  should 
succeed  in  raising  a  church  there,  they  would 
be  liable  to  removal  at  the  termination  of  the 
lease,  or  else  have  to  purchase  the  property  at 


44  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

its  full  value.  These  contingent  circumstances, 
together  with  Mr.  Stockton's  physical  feeble- 
ness, operated  against  his  success,  and  left  him 
with  only  a  few  personal  friends,  who  con- 
tinued with  him  to  the  end. 

In  1860  he  was  elected  Chaplain  to  Congress, 
and  re-elected  in  1862.  This  called  him  to 
Washington  during  the  sessions  of  Congress 
for  four  years,  and  his  pulpit  was  supplied  by 
others  during  his  absence.  During  the  first 
session  of  Congress  after  his  election,  by  ar- 
rangement with  the  other  chaplain,  he  preached 
every  Sunday  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives. And  throughout  the  four  sessions 
the  audience  was  large,  crowds  being  attracted 
by  his  eloquence  ;  showing  what,  under  favora- 
ble circumstances,  he  was  still  capable  of  doing. 
And  it  has  been  said,  that  he  would  have  been 
elected  for  a  third  term,  but  for  a  report  that 
he  was  sick,  and  physically  unable  to  attend  to 
the  duties  of  the  office.  His  mind  and  heart 
were  in  deep  sympathy  with  the  earnest  strug- 
gle then  in  progress  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union,  and  his  ministrations  in  Congress  were 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  loyalty  to  his  country, 
as  well  as  of  love  to  God  and  man.  There  was 
a  believing  earnestness  in  his  praying,  which 
carried  their  hearts  who  worshipped  with  him 
up  to  God,  in  supplication  for  Divine  Wisdom 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  45 

to  guide  them  in  the  time  of  their  country's 
peril.  Such  of  his  prayers  as  have  been  re- 
ported, and  especially  that  at  the  dedication  of 
the  Soldiers'  Cemetery  at  Gettysburg,  are  evi- 
dences of  the  intensity  of  his  feelings  in  his 
country's  cause,  and  were  uttered  with  that 
wonderfully  expressive  manner  which  thrilled 
the  hearts  of  his  hearers.  That  prayer  at  Gettys- 
burg was  productive  of  spiritual  awakening  in 
many  minds, — reaching  the  heart  of  our  lamen- 
ted President,  and  the  hearts  of  the  thousands 
who  listened  around  him  ;  and  it  hallowed  for- 
ever the  spot  where  sleep  the  remains  of  the 
brave  ones  who  there  fell  in  the  defence  of  our 
homes.  His  sermons  were  perhaps  not  so  or- 
nate as  when  first  Chaplain  to  Congress  in 
former  years,  but  they  had  more  of  the  strength 
of  the  granite  of  truth,  if  less  of  the  moss  and 
ivy  of  adornment. 

In  1865  his  beloved  wife,  with  whom  he  had 
lived  thirty-seven  years,  departed  this  life. 
She  was  the  mother  of  eleven  children,  to  which 
he  alludes  in  the  following  lines  addressed  to 
her  on  presenting  to  her  the  (i  Poems  by  Ame- 
lia/' Christmas,  184G.  "Your  poems,  my  dear 
Anna,  are  in  eleven  volumes.  Two  of  them, 
the  Lord  was  so  pleased  with,  that  he  has  put 
them,  in  gold  binding,  on  a  pearl  shelf,  in  his 
own  Library  in  heaven.     The  other   nine  are 


46  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

yet  with  us,  awaiting  his  approval.  May  1 
stand  by  your  side,  when  you  see  them  there, 
in  one  complete  and  beautiful  collection.'' 
After  that,  three  more  had  gone  before  her, 
leaving  six  still,  along  with  their  father,  to 
mourn  her  loss.  But  she  died  in  the  Lord,  be- 
lieving in  the  name  of  Jesus  and  trusting  in 
his  blood ;  and  the  hope  of  meeting  her  in  a 
better  life,  and  a  glorious  world,  and  a  perfec- 
ted condition,  comforted  their  hearts  in  their 
sorrow. 

From  this  time,  until  his  death,  he  seldom 
preached,  and  was  for  the  most  of  the  time  con- 
fined to  the  house  ;  yet  he  was  deeply  solicitous 
that  the  Church  of  the  New  Testament  should 
be  sustained  while  he  lived,  and  had  his  pulpit 
supplied  by  other  brethren ;  being  himself 
present  as  often  as  convenient,  and  occasionally 
greeting  his  little  flock  with  words  of  encour- 
agement  and  hope.  During  this  period  he  was 
busy  with  his  pen  and  manuscript,  committing 
to  paper  and  arranging  thoughts,  which  may 
possibly,  at  some  time,  be  given  to  the  world 
through  the  press ;  and  in  this  way,  perhaps, 
he  may  yet  speak  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ  to  thousands,  making  those  home 
hours  of  comparative  obscurity  to  blossom  and 
bear  fruit  which  shall  be  a  blessing  to  the 
world- 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  4T 

He  was  always  pleased  to  see  his  friends,  and 
was  ever  resigned,  contented,  cheerful.  There 
was  no  censoriousness  in  his  conversation. 
His  mind  was  placid  as  a  lake  unruffled  by  the 
winds,  and  his  thoughts  flowed  out  in  a  pure  and 
refreshing  stream,  which  made  it  a  privilege 
and  a  pleasure  to  visit  him.  There  was  no 
fault-finding  with  others  for  their  want  of  sym- 
pathy with  him,  and  appreciation  of  his  posi- 
tion and  plans  ;  no  complaint-  of  abandonment. 
He  rested  in  the  Divine  love  and  his  heart  was 
satisfied.     He  saw — 

';  A  God  employed 
Id  all  the  good  and  ill  that  chequer  life, 
Resolving  all  events,  with  their  effects 
And  manifold  results,  into  the  will 
And  arbitration  wise  of  the  Supreme." 

Among  the  few  who  visited  him  during  this 
period  was  Mr.  Alfred  Cookman,  minister  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  who  relates  the  fol- 
lowing incident :  At  one  of  those  interviews  he 
said,  characteristically,  "  Brother  Cookman,  my 
life  in  retrospect,  seems  like  a  modern  corned. 
In  my  earlier  history.  I  floated  along,  until  Gop, 
by  his  Providential  interpositions,  answering  to 
locks,  lifted  me  to  higher  levels,  and  so  I  cam'.' 
after  a  while  to  my  highest  level.  Then  the 
same  Providence,  by  its  dispensations,  began 
to  let  me  down,  and  I  have  been  sinking  lower 


48  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

and  lower,  until  now,  I  seem  to  have  reached 
my  lowest  level.  Some  of  these  days,  the  un- 
seen hand  will  open  the  last  gate,  and  my  soul 
will  float  out  into  the  boundless  and  fathomless 
ocean  of  everlasting  bliss — an  ocean,  forever 
bright  with  heaven's  own  brightness."  And 
here,  in  his  own  expressive  language,  we  have 
an  estimate  of  his  life,  which  corresponds  with 
our  opinion  based  on  the  leading  facts  of  his 
history,  and  suggested  by  the  similarity  dis- 
covered between  them  and  the  leading  events 
of  the  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist,  of  whom 
Jesus  said,  "He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light,  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  season  to  re- 
joice in  his  light."  We  are  too  apt  to  form 
our  estimate  of  men  from  the  adventitious  cir- 
cumstances of  success,  which  gives  them  re- 
nown and  denominates  them  great  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  Lacking  these,  life  is  regarded 
as  a  failure.  And  so  the  life  of  this  eminent 
servant  of  God  is  balanced  in  the  Ledger  of 
Denominational  commerce.  But,  while  we  al- 
low that,  to  all  appearance,  in  ecclesiastical 
results,  and  even  in  regard  to  his  own  peculiar 
plan,  as  the  world  views  things,  his  life  was  a 
failure,  we  nevertheless  demur  to  this  judg- 
ment as  superficial  and  worldly,  leaving  out  of 
the  account  the  principles  of  his  life  and  the 
Divine  dispensations  which  controlled  it. 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  49 

To  illustrate  our  point  we  will  trace  a  few  of 
the  resemblances  between  the  ministry  of  John 
the  Baptist  and  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Stockton. 
John  the  Baptist  lacked   the  scholastic  train- 
ing,  which  is  too   often  the   substitute   for    a 
Divine  call  to  the  ministry.     His  training  was 
in  the  deserts,  where  he  waxed  strong  in  spirit, 
till  the  day  of  his  showing  unto  Israel.     Mr. 
Stockton  says  of  himself,  "  What  was  my  prep- 
aration ?     Xone  at  all  in  the  ordinary  profes- 
sional sense.     But,  by  nature,  providence  and 
grace;    by  home,    school   and    church;    by  the 
Bible,  and  the  general  range  of  English  litera- 
ture, so  far  as  it  came  within   my  reach,  and 
proved  attractive,  I  had  been  made  observant, 
thoughtful,   reverent  and  prayerful — had  been 
awakened  to  a  consciousness  of  at  least  seem- 
ing adaptation,  with  some  impressions  of  duty, 
some  impulse  of  desire,  and  some  effort  in  self- 
culture.     When    I    sat    in    the    congregation, 
under   the   ministry    of    'the    Gospel.-    it    was 
natural  for  me  to  look  and  listen  intently,  not 
only   with    sensibility,    but    also    synthetically 
and  analytically,  assuring  myself  pretty  well 
of  the  plan  and  process  of  discussion,  and  de- 
riving from  the  service  and  exercise  more  ad- 
vantage, perhaps,  than  I  then  supposed.     This 
I  believe  was  all  or  nearly  all.     Thus  I  became 
a  preacher."  Thus  he  was  in  the  deserts  of  un- 


50  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

collegiate  education,  waxing  strong  in  spirit, 
till  the  day  he  preached  his  first  sermon. 

John  the  Baptist  began  his  ministry  as  a  re- 
former. So  did  Mr.  Stockton,  and  both,  not 
only  in  calling  men  individually  to  repent  of 
their  sins  and  believe  in  Christ,  but,  also,  in 
reproving  the  mischievous  tendencies  of  usur- 
ped authority  and  arbitrary  power  in  the  rulers, 
of  the  professing  Church  of  God. 

John  the  Baptist's  was  a  special  ministry. 
When  the  Lord  has  a  special  work  to  be  done, 
he  raises  up  special  agencies  for  its  per- 
formance. John  was  the  herald  of  the  Messiah, 
sent  before  his  face  to  prepare  his  ways ;  to 
give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his  people, 
by  the  remission  of  their  sins  ;  and  prepare  the 
Jewish  nation  for  the  reception  of  the  Holy 
One.  lie  was  the  morning  star  of  the  advent 
reflecting  the  brilliant  rays  of  the  Sun  of  right 
eousness  ;  and  was  a  witness  of  that  light.  Mr. 
Stockton's  ministry  was  also  of  a  special  char- 
acter. He  seemed  to  be  providentially  raised 
up  for  a  special  work,  and  particularly  quali- 
fied for  its  performance.  He  became  the 
herald  of  Christian  union,  and  anti-sectarian- 
ism. Not  of  an  "  Evangelical  alliance,"  con- 
sisting in  the  agreement  of  so-called  orthodox 
sects  in  everlasting  separateness  ;  but  the  ex- 
tinction of  all  sects  in  the  inseparable  oneness 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  51 

of  the  Christian  brotherhood.  The  profess 
liberality  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
afforded  him  an  open  field  for  the  publication 
of  his  views,  from  both  pulpit  and  press  ;  and 
their  acknowledgment  of  the  Bible  as  the  only 
rule  of  faith  and  conduct,  and  of  Christ  as  the 
only  head  of  the  Church,  afforded  ground  of 
hope,  that  he  might  here  find  a  fulcrum  on 
which  to  rest  the  lever  of  Christ's  prayer  for 
the  oneness  of  his  followers,  and  eventually 
overthrow  the  division-walls  of  Sectarianism. 

John  the  Baptist's  ministry  was  a  success  so 
far  as  the  performance  of  his  distinctive  work 
was  concerned :  he  accomplished  his  mission  ; 
he  completed  his  testimony ;  he  fulfilled  his 
course  ;  but  so  far  as  the  preparation  of  the 
people  was  concerned  it  was  a  failure.  Some 
indeed  who  heard  his  voice,  as  it  rang  in 
silvery  tones  through  the  wilderness  of  Judea, 
believed  on  the  coming  One,  and  were  baptized 
confessing  their  sins  ;  but  as  a  nation  they  re- 
pented not,  neither  were  made  ready  for  his 
coming.  It  was  necessary  that  the  messenger 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts  should  be  sent  before  him 
to  proclaim  his  coining,  and  warn  the  sinful 
nation  to  repent  and  receive  him,  that  he  might 
perform  the  covenant  made  with  the  fathers  ; 
but  they  were  free  to  receive  or  reject  his  tes- 
timony ;  and,   as   God  foresaw  the}'  would,   so 


52  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

did  they  reject  it,  and  frustrate  the  proposed 
blessing  the  ministry  of  John  was  calculated  to 
achieve.  In  like  manner  Mr.  Stockton's  min- 
istry was  both  a  success  and  a  failure.  With 
himself,  in  his  consciousness  of  duty  and  its 
faithful  performance,  it  was  a  success.  With 
the  Sects,  whom  he  sought  to  unite  in  the  one- 
ness of  truth  and  love,  it  was  a  failure.  True 
there  were  some,  not  only  among  the  Metho- 
dist Protestants,  but  in  all  the  sects,  who  sym- 
pathized with  him  in  his  wrork,  and  were  bap- 
tized into  its  spirit,  and  waited  and  longed  for 
the  union  of  all  Christians  in  one  body  :  but 
the  various  denominations  are  not  prepared  for 
such  an  event,  and  are  no  more  ready  now  to 
renounce  their  sectarian  differences  for  simple 
Christian  Union,  than  they  were  before  he  be- 
gan his  testimony.  Indeed  the  tendency  is 
rather  to  divide  still  more  than  to  unite  ;  even 
the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  instead  of 
profiting  by  his  ministry  in  this  respect,  has 
separated  into  two  or  more  sects. 

John  the  Baptist's  ministry  had  its  increase 
and  its  decrease.  His  beginning  was  great,  for 
he  was  endowed  with  extraordinary  gifts.  God 
qualified  him  for  an  extraordinary  service. 
The  words,  "He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light,"  indicate  the  fervor  of  his  spirit  and  the 
brilliancy  of  his   gifts.     Sanctified   and   filled 


MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE.  53 

with  the  Holy  Spirit  from  his  birth,,  the  Divine 
inspiration  quickened  his  perceptions  of  truth 
and  duty,  fired  his  heart  with  love  and  zeal, 
and  gave  him  an  utterance  of  unrivalled  elo- 
quence, which  held  spell-hound  the  thousands 
who  flocked  to  his  ministry.  And  he  rose  to  a 
heighth  of  power  and  grace  in  his  prophetic 
mission,  unsurpassed  by  any  one  of  woman 
born:  though  the  least  in  the  future  glorious 
kingdom  of  heaven  shall  be  greater  than  he 
then  was.  How  great  John  would  have  become 
had  the  nation  believed  his  testimony,  repented 
of  their  sins,  and  received  the  coming  One,  we 
know  not.  They  "  were  willing  for  a  season 
to  rejoice  in  his  light/'  and  then  its  beams 
grew  brighter,  and  success  in  the  object  of  his 
mission  seemed  attainable  ;  but  after  a  while, 
his  faithi'ulnes  in  reproving  them  for  their  sins 
offended  them  ;  and  their  unbelief  and  hardness 
of  heart  occasioned  his  decline.  His  light 
began  to  wane,  and  at  last  his  ministry  was 
terminated  by  his  being  cast  into  prison  and 
there  beheaded.  His  work  was  done,  though 
Israel  was  not  saved.  The  fulfilment  of  his 
mission  was  his  success  :  the  national  unbelief, 
was  his  failure.  In  like  manner,  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Stockton  had  its  flow  and  its  ebb.  Its 
beginning  was  bright  and  glowing.  Mrs.  Welby 
adds  to  what  we  have  already  quoted, 


54  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

"There's  a  charm  in  delivery,  a  magical  art, 
That  thrills  like  a  kiss,  from  the  lip  to  the  heart ; 
'Tis  the  glance — the  expression — the  well  chosen 

word, 
By  whose  magic  the  depths  of  the  spirit  are  stirred, 
The  smile — the  mute  gesture — the  soul  startling 

pause, 
The  eye's  sweet  expression— that  melts  while  it  awes, 
The  lip's  soft  persuasion — its  musical  tone — 
0  such  was  the  charm  of  that  eloquent  one. 

u  All  glorious  and  bright  as  a  spirit  of  air, 
The  light  like  a  halo  encircling  his  hair — 
As  I  catch  the  i  ?'ich  '  accents  of  sweetness  and  love, 
He  whispers  of  Jesus — and  points  us  above." 

His  were  extraordinary  gifts,  sanctified  by 
abounding;  grace.  "  He  was,"  also  "a  burning 
and  a  shining*  light:"  and  as  the  sun  waxes 
warmer  and  brighter  as  it  rises  to  the  zenith, 
so  his  ministry  became  more  powerful  and  bril- 
liant in  his  ascent  to  that  unrivalled  eloquence 
which  distinguished  it,  and  that  noble  object 
to  which  he  devoted  it. 

He  was  the  prince  of  modern  preachers,  with 
stately  form  and  dignified  mien — high  receding 
forehead  and  long  silvery  hair — smooth  pallid 
face  and  large,  penetrating  eye — expressive, 
smiling  mouth  and  trumpet  voice,  of  marvel- 
lous compass  and  power  and  sweetest  cadences, 
he  seemed  almost  angelic,  and  stirred,  en- 
tranced   and  thrilled    the    vast   assemblies    to 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  55 

whom  he  ministered  with  the  glorious  truths 
he  uttered.  Many  were  wTon  to  Christ,  to 
truth  and  virtue  by  his  ministrations,  who  shall 
be  his  joy  and  crown  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

Acknowledging  the  Bible  alone  as  the  Book 
of  God  and  the  only  infallible  authority  on 
earth,  he  rose  above  all  party  ism  and  sectarian 
restrictions,  and  reached  the  acme  of  his  min- 
istrations in  his  plea  for  the  union  of  all  Chris- 
tians. In  this  object,  his  mind  was  intensely 
interested.  Following  the  example  of  Jesus  he 
prayed  for  it.  Believing  it  to  be  the  Saviour's 
will,  he  preached  it.  Deeming  it  practicable, 
he  toiled  and  suffered  for  it.  It  was  the  spe- 
cialty of  his  ministry;  that,  to  which,  in  his 
enlightened  consciousness,  he  believed  himself 
called  of  God.  And  there  was  attending  this 
belief  a  sort  of  inspiration — the  inspiration  of 
enthusiasm,  but  not  of  fanaticism.  He  was 
elevated,  excited,  rapt  with  the  love  of  the 
truth,  and  ardent  in  the  pursuit  of  his  object  ; 
and,  in  its  advocacy,  he  gave  utterance  to,  and 
published  some  of  the  most  sublime  thoughts 
that  eve  re  rnanated  from  an  uninspired  mind. 
Take  this  for  an  example:  "  Only  let  this  One, 
Divinely  Established  New  Testament  Church,  be 
practically  exemplified  : — Only  let  the  Church  in 
the  House,  be  One,  in  Every  House  ;  the  Church 


56  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

in  the  City,  be  One,  in  Every  City  :  and  the 
Church  Every  where,  be  One,  Every  where: — - 
Only  let  the  Churches  of  a  Province,  be  One, 
Throughout  the  Province  :  and  the  Churches  of 
the  Empire,  or  of  the  Whole  World,  be  One, 
Throughout  the  Empire  or  World : — Only  let 
the  Churches  of  the  Jews  and  of  the  Gentiles, 
or  of  All  Nations,  notwithstanding  National 
Distinctions,  be  One  : — Only  let  the  Church  in 
Whole,  Throughout  All  Ages,  Resume  and  Re- 
tain  its  Oneness  :  Only  let  the  Whole  Family, 
or  Church,  in  Heaven  and  Earth,  be  Duly  Re- 
cognized and  Acknowledged  in  its  Oneness  : 
One  in  God — One  in  Christ — One  in  the 
Spirit  : — Only  let  the  Divinely  Honored  Min- 
istry and  Membership,  of  this  Infinitely  Excel- 
ling and  Redeeming  Social  Institution — give 
heed  to  the  plaintive  but  glorious  voice  of  the 
Imprisoned  Apostle,  beseeching  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  to  Walk  Worthy  of  the  Voca- 
tion wherewith  they  are  Called,  with  All  Low- 
liness and  Meekness,  with  Long-SufTering,  For- 
bearing One  Another  in  Love ;  endeavoring  to 
Keep  the  Unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  Bond  of 
Peace  :  Showing  to  the  World,  that  there  is 
but  One  Body,  and  One  Spirit,  even  as  they 
are  Called  in  One  Hope  of  their  calling;  One 
Lord,  One  Faith,  One  Baptism,  One  Cod  and 
Father  of  All,  Who  is  Above  All,  and  Through 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  57 

All,  and  In  Them  All:  and  the  Ignorant  and 
hitherto  Unbelieving  World,  being  thus  Con- 
vinced of  All,  and  Judged  of  All.  and  having 
the  Secret  Corruption  of  its  Heart  made  Mani- 
fest fry  the  Contrast,  will  Fall  Down  on 
Face,  and  Worship  God,  and  Acknowledge  that 
God  is  With  His  People  Of  A  Truth!  Herein 
is  Entire  and  Eternal  Salvation  !  I  speak  con- 
cerning Christ  and  the  Church." 

There  is  no  fanaticism  in  such  utterances. 
How  harmoniously  they  chime  in  with  the  vi- 
brations of  eternal  truth  rung  out  by  the  hand 
of  Paul !  How  sweetly  they  accord  with  the 
Oracles  of  our  Great  High  Priest,  when,  at  the 
institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  he  prayed  that 
all.  all  who  should  believe  on  him  might  be 
One,  in  him,  and  in  the  Father,  as  he  and  the 
Father  are  One  !  What  simplicity  and  sublimity 
are  combined  in  the  thoughts  of  this  gifted 
apostle,  apologist  and  advocate  of  a  church- 
forsaken,  forgotten  and  downtrodden  truth  ! 
Herein  he  reached  a  ministration  outside  of  all 
parties  and  above  all  parties — a  ministration 
} >n rely  Christian  and  apostolical — a  ministra- 
tion to  which  it  was  a  Divine  honor  to  be 
called,  and  a  glory  to  be  counted  worthy  of  it. 
And  how  great  he  might  have  become  even  in 
human  estimation,  had  the  different  Denomina- 
tions but  listened  to  his  voice,  and  discarding 


58  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

all  names  but  the  name  of  Christ,  and  renoun- 
cing all  creeds  but  the  Bible,  rushed,  with  the 
mighty  impulse  of  brotherly  love,  into  eaeh 
other's  embrace,  in  Christian  Oneness;  we 
know  not:  but,  we  doubt  not,  that  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord,  his  meekly  suffering  servant,  walk- 
ing in  the  light  of  his  Word,  esteeming  his  pre- 
cepts concerning  all  things  to  be  right,  and 
hating  every  false  way  ;  faithful  to  his  trust 
through  all  trial ;  true  to  his  principles  at  all 
hazards,  was,  in  the  loneliness  of  his  abandon- 
ment, greater  than  he  would  have  been  in  the 
prelatical  robes  and  palatial  halls  of  sectarian 
exclusiveness,  to  which  he  might  have  attained 
by  the  use  of  his  noble  powers  for  selfish  ends. 
And,  we  doubt  not,  that,  in  joyfully  filling  up 
that  which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ 
in  his  flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the 
church,  he  has  attained  a  higher  station,  and  a 
brighter  glory  in  the  Kingdom  of  God  ;  abun- 
dantly compensating  him  for  any  want  of  suc- 
cess in  the  object  of  his  ministry.  The  One- 
ness of  Christians  in  opposition  to  Sectarianism 
could  not  be  tolerated  by  the  Sects,  and  the 
Sects  rule  Christendom  ;  and  from  the  minister 
of  that  oneness,  as  in  the  case  of  his  Divine 
Master,  they  hid  their  faces;  he  was  despised 
and  they  esteemed  him  not.  As  long  as  his 
ministry    was    simply   theological    and    ethical 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  59 

they  were  willing  "  to  rejoice  in  his  light  :r*  hut 
when  by  his  plea  for  the  union  of  all  Christians 

he  rebuked  their  divisions,  they  in  effect  said, 
"Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth,  for 
it  is  not  fit  that  he  should  live."  Still  he  had 
"the  pleasure  of  reflecting  that  he  was  identi- 
fied with  the  wisest  and  the  best  people  on 
earth;"  but  they  were  few  and  widely  scattered, 
and  most  of  them  so  related  to  Denomination- 
alisms  that  they  could  do  nothing  to  help,  and 
generally  subsided  into  the  opinion,  that  the 
time  for  Christian  Union  had  not  yet  come. 
In  this  "  utter  abandonment,"  however,  his  con- 
fidence in  the  principles  of  his  enterprise  never 
forsook  him  ;  and  he  still  believed  in  the  prac- 
ticability of  success.  He  learned  at  last  to  say 
with  John,  ,;  /  must  decrease. "  What  then  ? 
Were  his  principles  false  ?  No.  Was  his  mis- 
sion a  qiistake  ?  No.  Was  his  ministry  a 
failure?  In  relation  to  himself  and  to  God  ? 
No.  In  relation  to  its  object  ?  Yes.  His 
principles  were  Divine  ;  his  mission  was  provi- 
dential, and  his  ministry  was  in  demonstration 
of  the  spirit  and  power;  but  Sectarianism  was 
too  strong  for  the  meek  and  modest  truth, 
though  its  standard  bearer  was  the  gifted  child 
of  eloquence,  and  mighty  in  the  scriptures; 
and  the  leaders  of  the  people  would  not  receive 
his  message  ;  and  so,  to  use  his  own  appropriate 


60  MEMORIAL    DISCOURES. 

figure,  descending  b}'  providential  interposi- 
tions, to  the  end  of  his  ministry,  he  floated  out 
of  his  frail  body,  into  the  bosom  of  the  All-lov- 
ing Father,  freighted  with  the  blessings,  which, 
un welcomed  by  the  sects,  returned  again  to  his 
own  bosom. 

What  then  ?  Shall  these  principles  fail  ?  In  ' 
this  Sectarian  age :  yes.  They  who  crucified 
the  messenger  will  not  receive  the  message. 
Crucified  did  wre  say  ?  Hark !  He  speaks, 
"  Tell  me,  my  Friends  ! — do  you  think  that  you 
appreciate  the  effect  of  an  utter  abandonment  by 
his  bosom  companions,  and  whispered  imputa- 
tions of  suspected  derangement,  on  a  person  of 
nervous  constitution  and  retired  habits,  settled 
as  eternity  in  his  principles,  constrained  by  his 
conscience  to  do  something  for  their  advance- 
ment, but  baffled  in  all  his  efforts  by  the  w7ant 
of  approving  coadjutors?  Do  you  think  that 
you  know  how  to  estimate  the  silent  griefs  of 
lapsing  years  in  such  a  condition  ?"  We  call 
that  crucifixion.  But  shall  those  principles 
utterly  fail  ?  No  indeed  :  for,  as  wre  have 
often  heard  him  repeat,  The  time  will  come, 

"  When  the  might  with  the  right  and  the  truth  shall 

hp  : 
And  come  what  may,  to  stand  in   the  way,  that  Day 

the  world  shall  see." 
The  time  will  come  when  the  crucified  Lord  of 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  61 

all  the  crucified  ones,  shall  return  to  earth,  and 
separating  the  true  from  the  false,  shall  make 
them  One  with  Himself  even  as  he  is  One  vrith 
the  Father  in  fulfilment  of  his  sacerdotal 
prayer.  And  then,  shall  the  brow  of  this 
apostle  of  Union  be  wreathed  with  a  garland 
of  unfading  glory. 

What,  then,  is  our  estimate  of  the  character 
of  Mr.  Stockton  ?  Briefly  this,  that  physically, 
intellectually,  morally,  socially  and  spiritually, 
he  was  a  chosen  vessel  unto  Christ. — adapted 
specially  for  the  work  to  which  he  was  called  ; 
having  the  highest  qualifications  for  it.  and  the 
most  intense  appreciation  of  it,  and  the  most 
ardent  desire  for  its  accomplishment,  and  a 
steadfast  perseverance  in  it  unto  the  end. 

With  a  vigorous  ideality,  he  had  large  per- 
ceptive faculties,  by  which  he  almost  intui- 
tively attained  the  knowledge  of  whatever  en- 
gaged his  attention  ;  and  by  his  accurate  rea- 
soning he  almost  invariably  reached  right  con- 
clusions. His  convictions,  therefore,  were 
almost  like  divine  revelations;  formed  as  they 
were  from  an  extensive  acquaintance  with  the 
truths  of  the  Bible  and  absolutely  controlled 
by  them.  This  gave  fixedness  to  his  principles 
and  determined  his  course,  which  his  conscien- 
tiousness made  a  moral  necessity.  And  no 
temptations  of  high  position,  which  his  talents 
6 


62  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

and  opportunities  might  have  secured;  no 
enticements  of  worldly  ease,  which  offered 
themselves  ;  could  draw  him  aside  from  what 
he  considered  his  duty.  But  what  he  valued 
most — the  Christian  Spirit — he  eminently  pos- 
sessed— steadfast  faith,  ardent  love,  cheerful  obe- 
dience and  joyful  hope.  This  spirit  sanctified 
all  his  relations  as  a  man,  a  son,  a  brother,  a 
husband,  a  father,  a  friend,  a  citizen.  In  this 
spirit  he  consecrated  all  his  faculties  and  ener- 
gies to  the  service  of  Christ;  and  in  this  spirit 
he  overcame  the  world,  and  gained  a  crown  of 
life. 

He  kept  a  regular  diary  for  years,  in  which  he 
noted  daily  occurrences,  and  passing  thoughts. 
We  have  the  privilege  of  opening  to  you  the 
last  two  entries.  They  relate  to  his  sickness, 
its  probable  result,  and  his  wishes  in  view  of  it. 
He  says : 

"August  15,  1868.  All  I  can  say  just  now 
is,  that,  if  I  die,  I  wish  to  die  as  a  Christian — 
nothing  more,  nothing  less :  a  Christian — an 
humble  disciple  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ — to  be  acknowledged  by  him,  I  trust, 
through  grace  (whether  by  men  or  not),  as  the 
brother,  however  unworthy,  of  every  other 
Christian,  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  As  such,  I 
hope  to  be  a  joint  heir  with  Him,  and  so  with 
them,    in    attainment    and    enjoyment    of    the 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  63 

eternal  life — I  repeat  my  conviction,  that,  all 
that  God  is  to  roan,  He  is  in  Christ;  and  all 
that  man  is  to  God,  he  is  in  Christ — so  that 
Christ  is  all  and  in  all/'  All  of  God  to  all  of 
his  people. 

"August  22.  I  am  extremely  weak  : — So  I 
still  wait.  It  seems  that  nothing  more  can  be 
done  than  they  are  doing.  Once  more,  there- 
fore, I  here  resign  myself  entirely  unto  thy 
mercy  in  Christ  Jesus,  0  thou  God  of  ray  Sal- 
vation !  For  myself,  my  children,  my  relatives 
and  friends  generally, — as  for  the  Church,  and 
for  all  men. — I  have  no  higher  hope,  no  other 
prayer,  than  that,  Thy  will  may  be  done ! 
Amen — forever.'' 

He  had  looked  forward  to  the  10th  of 
August,  the  anniversary  of  his  mother's  death, 
with  a  kind  of  feeling  that  perhaps  he  should 
die  then.  And  afterwards,  toward  the  16th  of 
September,  the  anniversary  of  his  wife's  death, 
thinking  he  might  pass  away  at  that  time.  But 
as  this  latter  day  passed  by  without  the  change  ; 
he  had  an  entry  made  in  his  Diary,  closing 
with  these  words,  "  But — I  gratefully  and 
quietly  submit.     All  is  right." 

During  his  last  sickness,  early  in  September, 
shortly  after  he  was  compelled  to  remain  in 
bed,  he  remarked  in  the  course  of  conversation, 
;>  I   have   no   fear  of  death.     I  can  have  none. 


64  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

'Tis  not  in  the  nature  of  things  for  me  to  have. 
I  have  tried  to  do  things  as  well  as  I  could  in 
the  midst  of  difficulties  and  thousands  of  sins ; 
but  I  trust  in  God  for  forgiveness  and  salvation." 
Another  time — at  midnight — he  was  exceed- 
ingly weak,  and  dropped  into  a  sleep,  which 
was  so  quiet  that  he  was  thought  to  be  dying. 
After  a  short  time,  however,  he  opened  his 
eyes,  and  looking  directly  at  those  who  watched 
at  his  bed-side,  said : 

"And  are  we  yet  alive, 

And  see  each  other's  face  ? 
Glory  and  praise  to  Jesus  give 
For  his  redeeming  grace." 
Afterward,  remarking  that  his  mind  seemed  to 
be  in  a  wonderfully  poetic  humor,  he  recited 
probably  a  score  of  pieces,   including  hymns, 
etc.     Among  other  quotations,  wrere  these  lines, 
which  he  admired  very  much,  as  being  turned 
so  beautifully  ;  repeating  them  several  times  : 
"  Time  will  subdue  ; 
What  will  not  Time  subdue  ?" 
And  another,  the  hymn, 

"  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
Who  shall  a  helpless  worm  redeem  ? 
'Tig  only  Jesus,  by  his  blood, 
Can  raise  a  sinking  soul  to  God. 
Jesus,  my  only  hope  thou  art, 
Strength  of  my  fainting  flesh  and  heart, 
O,  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  thee, 
And  drop  into  Eternity  !" 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  65 

At  still  another  time  he  saicl,  "  There  are 
three  passages  of  Scripture  that  are  of  particu- 
lar interest,  as  expressing,  at  different  times, 
my  condition.  The  first  is  this  :  '  What  time  I 
am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in  thee.7  Then  I  got  so 
I  could  say,  ;  I  will  trust  in  the  Lord  and  not 
be  afraid.'  Then  I  got  on  farther,  till  I  can 
now  say,  '  Trust  in  the  Lord  for  ever,  for  in 
the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength.'  " 

li  I  tell  you,  my  children,  I  am  very  near  the 
end  :  I  must  have  the  doctor's  candid  opinion 
to-night,  and  if  he  says  it  is  so,  I  will  say, 
Thank  the  Lord!  'The  sting  of  death  is  sin, 
and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law  :  but  thanks 
be  unto  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  There  is  no  sting  in 
death  to  me  ;  that  is  all  taken  awa}',  and  now 
the  victory  is  mine." 

;'  0,  my !  how  I  desire,  and  how  my  desires 
increase,  to  know  things  as  they  are  ;  to  be  at 
the  centre  of  all  intelligence,  and  understand 
all  the  truths  in  nature,  providence,  and  grace  ; 
to  see  the  Saviour  as  he  is,  in  all  his  dignity 
and  grandeur.  Mine  eyes  shall  see  the  glory 
of  the  risen  Lord." 

"0,  to  be  'swallowed  up  of  life!'  'To  de- 
part and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better.' 
I  trust — I  trust  that  'for  me  to  live  is  Christ, 
to  die  is  gain.'  " 


66  MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE. 

"  I  am  now  approaching  the  moment  which  I 
have  alwa}rs  considered  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance— extinction  or  continuance  of  being.  Phi- 
losophy says  extinction  !  Infidelity  sa3>s  ex- 
tinction !  Sense  says  extinction  !  Faith  says 
Immortality !  Religion  says  Immortality ! 
Christianity  says  Immortality  !  One  thing  is 
certain :  Something  has  always  been  ;  Some- 
thing continues  to  exist.  If  the  individual  falls, 
Life  still  continues  in  the  race.  Infidelity 
cannot  gainsay  this. 

"  0,  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  thee, 
And  drop  into  Eternity  !" 

"  I  trust  I  am  o-oino;  to  see  the  errand  est  thins: 
in  the  universe  ;  the  Light  of  the  Knowledge  of 
the  Glory  of  God,  shining  in  the  face  of  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.-' 

11  *  He  doth  all  things  well.  I  have  reason  for 
nothing  but  great  gratitude  ;  great  thanks- 
giving;  great  rejoicing." 

"  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time 
of  my  departure  is  at  hand :  I  have  fought  a 
good  light;  I  have  finished  my  course;  I  have 
kept  the  faith  :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  judge  shall  give  me  at  that  day  ; 
and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them,  also,  that 
love  his  appearing.'  I  have  fought  the  fight, 
but  not  perfectly;  I  have  run  the  race,  but  not 


MEMORIAL    DISCOURSE.  67 

well ;  I  have  kept  the  faith  against  men  and  all 
opposition  ;  yes,  I  have  kept  the  faith.  That 
is  the  banner ;  I  have  held  fast  to  that,  and 
now  I  trust  to  receive  a  crown  of  glory. r 

41  I  feel  very  weak,  and  it  makes  no  ditference 
when  I  go:  but  I  expect  to  find  something 
worthy  of  the  infinite  dignity  of  God  ;  some- 
thing respectfully  comprehensive  of  all  humili- 
ties." 

"  If  you  hear  anybody  speak  in  confidence  of 
me,  tell  them  I  consider  myself  nothing  but  a 
poor  sinner.*' 

"  The  issues  in  my  case  are  so  different  from 
what  I  expected ;  I  thought  I  might  have  lived 
ten  years  longer  yet.  But  it  is  all  right.  '  He 
doth  all  things  well.'  I  cannot  tell  you  how 
happy  I  am  at  the  prospect  of  getting  at  the 
centre  of  universal  intelligence  through  the 
mercy  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  I  am 
nothing  but  a  poor  sinner,  and  have  been  all 
my  life ;  but  Jesus  is  a  precious  Saviour,  God 
a,  kind  and  loving  Father,  the  Holy  Spirit  a 
blessed  sanctifier." 

Such  were  some  of  the  utterances  which  fell 
from  his  dying  lips — lips  that  were  ever  wont 
to  extol  the  Saviour,  and  magnify  the  riches  of 
redeeming  grace ;  lips  that  were  never  weary 
with  repealing  the  ever-blessed  name,  and  to 
the  last  were  eloquent  in  his  praise.     But  they 


68  MEMORIAL   DISCOURSE. 

are  now  hushed  in  death,  and  silent  in  the 
grave.  On  Friday  night,  October  9th.,  1868,  at 
a  quarter  before  eight  o'clock,  his  spirit  passed 
away.  "  Conscious  to  the  last,  leaning  on  the 
rod  and  staff  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  he  passed 
from  our  sight  away  down  into  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  comforted."  Fitting  end 
of  a  noble  life  !  A  life  hallowed  in  our  memo- 
ries by  its  purity,  its  peacefulness,  its  gentle- 
ness, its  willingness,  its  forgiveness,  its  good- 
ness, its  impartiality  and  sincerity ;  traits  of  the 
wisdom  that  is  from  above,  which  assimilates 
the  human  character  to  the  Diviue,  and  rises 
again  to  the  source  from  whence  it  came,  carry- 
ing with  it,  into  the  bosom  of  God,  the  redeemed 
and  sanctified  spirit,  and  making  it  One  with 
God. 


PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

FROM  POEMS  BY  AMELIA    (MRS.  WELBY). 

The  day  was  declining — the  breeze,  in  its  glee, 

Had  left  the  fair  blossoms  to  sing  on  the  sea, 

As  the  sun,  in  its  gorgeousness,  radiant  and  still, 

Dropped  down,  like  a  gem,  from  the  brow  of  the  hill; 

One  tremulous  star,  in  the  glory  of  June, 

Came  out  with  a  smile  and  sat  down  by  the  moon, 

As    she  graced  her  blue  throne  with  the    pride  of  a 

queen, 
The  smiles  of  her  loveliness  gladdening  the  scene. 

The  scene  was  enchanting  !   in  distance  away 
Rolled  the  foam-crested  waves  of  the  Chesapeake  bay, 
While  bathed  in  the  moonlight,  the  village  was  seea, 
With  the  church  in  the  distance,   that  stood  on   the 

green, 
The  soft-sloping  meadows  lay  brightly  unrolled, 
With  their  mantles  of  verdure  and  blossoms  of  gold, 
And  the  earth,  in  her  beauty,  forgetting  to  grieve, 
Lay  asleep  in  her  bloom  on  the  bosom  of  eve. 

A  light-hearted  child,  I  had  wandered  away 

From  the   spot  where  my  footsteps  had  gambolled  all 

day, 
And  free  as  a  bird's,  was  the  song  of  my  soul, 

\y  roll. 

69 


TO  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

"While,  lightening  nay  heart  as  I  sported  along; 
With  hursts  of  low  laughter  and  snatches  of  song, 
I  struck  in  the  pathway  half-worn  o'er  the  sod 
By  the  feet  that  went  up  to  the  worship  of  God. 

As  I  traced  its  green  windings,  a  murmur  of  prayer, 
With  the  hymn  of  the  worshippers,  rose  on  the  air; 
And,  drawn  by  the  links  of  its  sweetness  along, 
I  stood  unobserved  in  the  midst  of  the  throng. 
For  awhile  my  young  spirit  still  wandered  about 
With  the  birds  and  the  winds  that  were  singing  with- 
out, 
But  birds,  waves,  and  zephyrs,  were  quickly  forgot 
In  one  angel-like  being  that  brightened  the  spot. 

In  stature  majestic,  apart  from  the  throng, 

He  stood  in  his  beauty,  the  theme  of  my  song  ? 

His  cheek  pale  with  fervor — the  blue  orbs  above 

Lit  up  with  the  splendors  of  youth  and  of  love  ; 

Yet   the   heart- glowing    raptures,    that   beamed   from 

those  eyes. 
Seemed  saddened  by  sorrows,  and  chastened  by  sighs, 
As  if  the  young  heart  in  its  bloom  had  grown  cold, 
With  its  loves  unrequited,  its  sorrows  untold. 

Such  language  as  his  I  may  never  recall ; 

But  his  theme  was  salvation — salvation  for  all  r 

And  the  souls  of  a  thousand  in  ecstasy  hung 

On  the  manna-like  sweetness  that   dropped   from  his 

tongue ; 
Not  alone  on  the  ear  his  wild  eloquence  stole  ; 
Enforced  by  each  gesture,  it  sank  to  the  soul, 
Till  it  seemed  that  an  angel  had  brightened  the  sod, 
And  brought  to  each  bosom  a  message  from  Goo. 


PULPIT    ELOQUENCE.  71 

He  spoko  of  the  Saviour — what  pictures  he  drew  ! 
The  scene  of  His  sufferings  rose  clear  on  my  view 
The  cross — the  rude  cross  where  He  suffered  and  died, 
The  gush  of  bright  crimson  that  flowed  from  His  side, 
The  cup  of  His  sorrows,  the  wormwood  and  gall, 
The  darkness  that  mantled  the  earth  as  a  pall, 
The  garland  of  thorns,  and  the  demon-like  crews, 
Who  knelt  as  they  scoffed  Him — "Hail,   King  of  the 
Jews!" 

He  spake,  and  it  seemed  that  his  statue-like  form 

Expanded  and  glowed  as  his  spirit  grew  warm ; 

His  tone  so  impassioned,  so  melting  his  air, 

As,  touched  with  compassion,  he  ended  in  prayer, 

His  hands  clasped  above  him,  his  blue  orbs  upthrown, 

Still  pleading  for  sins  that  were  never  his  own, 

While   that  mouth,   where    such  sweetness    ineffable 

clung, 
Still  spoke,  though  expression  had  died  on  his  tongue. 

O  God  !  what  emotions  the  speaker  awoke  ! 

A  mortal  he  seemed — yet  a  deity  spoke  ; 

A  man — yet  so  far  from  humanity  riven  ; 

On  earth  —  yet  so  closely  connected  with  heaven  ! 

How  oft  in  my  fancy  I've  pictured  him  there, 

As  he  stood  in  that  triumph  of  passion  and  prayer. 

With    his    eyes    closed    in    rapture — their    transient 

eclipse 
Made  bright  by  the  smiles  that  illumined  his  lips. 

There's  a  charm  in  delivery,  a  magical  art, 
That  thrills,  like  a  kiss,  from  the  lip  to  the  heart, 
'Tis  the  glance — the  expression  — the  well-chosen  word, 
By  whose  magic  the  depths  of  the  spirit  are  stirred, 


72  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE, 

The  smile— the  mute  gesture—  the  soul-startling  pause. 
The  eye's  sweet  expression — that  melts  while  it  awes9 
The  lip's  soft  persuasion — its  musical  tone— 
0,  such  was  the  charm  of  that  eloquent  one  I 

The  time  is  long  past,  yet  how  clearly  defined, 
That  bay,  church,  and  village  float  up  on  my  mind! 
I  see  amid  azure  the  moon  in  her  pride, 
With  the  sweet  little  trembler  that  sat  by  her  side, 
I  hear  the  blue  waves,  as  she  wanders  along, 
Leap  up  hi  their  gladness  and  sing  her  a  song, 
And  I  tread  in  the  pathway  half- worn  o'er  the  sod 
By  the  feet  that  went  up  to  the  worship  of  God. 

The  time  is  long  past,  yet  what  visions  I  see  I 

The  past,  the  dim  past  is  the  present  to  me; 

I   am   standing    once    more    mid   that    heart-striekes 

throng, 
A  vision  floats  up — 'tis  the  theme  of  my  song, 
All  glorious  and  bright  as  a  spirit  of  air, 
The  light  like  a  halo  encircling  his  hair, 
As  I  catch  the  same  accents  of  sweetness  and  love, 
He  whispers  of  Jesus — and  points  us  above. 

How  sweet  to  my  heart  is  the  picture  I've  traced  I 
Its  chain  of  bright  fancies  seemed  almost  effaced, 
Till  memory,  the  fond  one,  that  sits  in  the  soul, 
Took  up  the  frail  links,  and  connected  the  whole ; 
As  the  dew  to  the  blossom,  the  bud  to  the  bee, 
As  the  scent  to  the  rose,  are  these  memories  to  me 
Round  the  chords  of  my  heart  they  have  tremblingly 

clung, 
And  the  echo  it  gives  is  the  song  I  have  sung. 


